Pituitary
/pɪˈtuː.ɪˌtɛr.i/noun
Relating to the pituitary gland, a small endocrine gland at the base of the brain that helps regulate hormones.
Did you know?The word comes from Latin pituita, “phlegm” or “mucus,” because early anatomists believed this gland produced the bodily fluid that dripped from the brain.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
pituita
“phlegm, mucus”
Late Latin
Latin
pituitarius
“of or relating to phlegm”
16th Century
English
pituitarie
“a gland or membrane believed to secrete phlegm”
Modern English
English
pituitary
“the endocrine gland at the base of the brain; relating to it”