gland

¹

[ gland ]

noun

1. Anatomy.
   1. a cell, group of cells, or organ producing a secretion.
   2. any of various organs or structures resembling the shape but not the function of true glands.
2. Botany. a secreting organ or structure.

gland

²

[ gland ]

noun

, Machinery.

1. a sleeve within a stuffing box, fitted over a shaft or valve stem and tightened against compressible packing in such a way as to prevent leakage of fluid while allowing the shaft or stem to move; lantern ring.
2. stuffing box.

gland

¹

/ ɡlænd /

noun

1. See endocrine gland, exocrine gland
   a cell or organ in man and other animals that synthesizes chemical substances and secretes them for the body to use or eliminate, either through a duct (exocrine gland) or directly into the bloodstream (endocrine gland) See also exocrine gland endocrine gland
2. a structure, such as a lymph node, that resembles a gland in form
3. a cell or organ in plants that synthesizes and secretes a particular substance

gland

²

/ ɡlænd /

noun

1. a device that prevents leakage of fluid along a rotating shaft or reciprocating rod passing through a boundary between areas of high and low pressure. It often consists of a flanged metal sleeve bedding into a stuffing box

gland

/ glănd /

1. An organ or group of specialized cells in the body that produces and secretes a specific substance, such as a hormone.
2. See also endocrine gland

Derived Forms

• ˈglandˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• glandless adjective
• glandlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of gland¹

1685–95; < Latin gland- (stem of glāns acorn); compare Italian ghianda

Origin of gland²

First recorded in 1830–40; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of gland¹

C17: from Latin glāns acorn

Origin of gland²

C19: of unknown origin

Example Sentences

In one recent study, a Stanford team made 34 modifications to the yeast’s DNA to chemically assemble a molecule with widespread effects on human muscles, glands, and tissue.

From Singularity Hub 

Dawson discovered that her glands were barely producing cortisol, a hormone critical to vital body functions.

From Time

He and others recently showed where the saliva glands get some of the major proteins they put into human saliva.

From Science News For Students

“I can easily see something like that being the precursor of the protrusible gland,” says Rodrigues.

From Science News

The researchers think a large, protrusible pheromone gland with lots of surface area could be a workaround, more efficiently dispersing pheromones to be detected by the antennae of would-be suitors.

From Science News

Others who, because of a tumor in the pituitary gland, may overproduce HGH develop a different problem: gigantism.

From The Daily Beast

Carrey sings: "You're a big, big man with a little bitty gland, so you need something bigger with a hairpin trigger."

From The Daily Beast

HGH is a hormone normally made in tiny amounts by the pituitary gland in all of us.

From The Daily Beast

To decimate the malformation, destroying the offending oil gland once it morphs into something with a head.

From The Daily Beast

The thymus gland attains a considerable development in the embryo and shrinks away to the merest vestige in the adult.

From Project Gutenberg

The strong probability is that this gland belongs in the same category with other embryonic survivals yet to be pointed out.

From Project Gutenberg

It is nearly always accompanied by a distinct hypertrophy of the thymus gland.

From Project Gutenberg

I want a ball bat to club every country jake doctor that looks me over and asks about my pituitary gland.

From Project Gutenberg

The mucus secreted from gland cells in this lining makes a slippery surface so that the food may slip down easily.

From Project Gutenberg