eccrine

[ ek-rin, -rahyn, -reen ]

adjective

, Physiology.

1. of or relating to certain sweat glands, distributed over the entire body, that secrete a type of sweat important for regulating body heat ( apocrine ).
2. of or relating to secretions of these glands:

   eccrine sweat.

3. exocrine ( def ).

eccrine

/ ˈɛkrɪn /

adjective

1. of or denoting glands that secrete externally, esp the numerous sweat glands on the human body Compare apocrine

Word History and Origins

Origin of eccrine¹

First recorded in 1925–30; from Greek ekkrī́nein “to secrete,” formed as if with -ine ¹( def ); eccrinology ( def ), endocrine ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of eccrine¹

from Greek ekkrinein to secrete, from ek- ec- + krinein to separate

Example Sentences

Most of us have between 2 and 5 million of eccrine sweat glands sprinkled across our whole body, including the armpit.

From Time