Hormone
/ˈhɔːr.moʊn/noun
A chemical messenger produced in the body that regulates the activity of cells or organs.
Did you know?The term was coined in 1905 from Greek *hormān* meaning “to urge on” or “set in motion,” so the word itself carries the energy of an awakening force.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ser-
“to move, flow, or set in motion”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ὁρμᾶν (hormân)
“to impel, urge on, set in motion”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ὁρμή (hormḗ)
“impulse, rush, eagerness”
1905
English
hormone
“a chemical substance produced in one part of the body and carried to another to stimulate activity”
Modern English
English
hormone
“a chemical messenger that regulates body functions”
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