testosterone

noun

tes·​tos·​ter·​one te-ˈstä-stə-ˌrōn How to pronounce testosterone (audio)
1
: a hormone that is a hydroxy steroid ketone C19H28O2 produced especially by the testes or made synthetically and that is responsible for inducing and maintaining male secondary sex characters
2
: qualities (such as brawn and aggressiveness) usually associated with males : manliness

Examples of testosterone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web And studies have shown transgender girls on puberty blockers have negligible testosterone levels that would not contribute to any potential athletic advantages. —Alyssa Goldberg, USA TODAY, 9 Aug. 2024 Plus, there were systems in place for testing testosterone for doping. —Elizabeth Yuko, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2024 There also is evidence that the athletic advantages sparked by testosterone in males are not neutralized by hormone therapy. —Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 6 Aug. 2024 But, her body produces more testosterone than the average woman. —John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for testosterone 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'testosterone.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from German Testosteron, from Latin testēs testes + German -o- -o- + -steron -sterone

Note: The name was introduced by the Hungarian pharmacologists Karoly Gyula David (1905-45) and János Freud (1901-48), the Dutch endocrinologist Elisabeth Dingemanse (1886-1952), and the German-born Dutch physician and pharmacologist Ernst Laqueur (1880-1947) (all affiliated with the Pharmaco-Therapeutic Laboratory of the University of Amsterdam) in "Über krystallinisches männliches Hormon aus Hoden (Testosteron), wirksamer als aus Harn oder aus Cholesterin bereitetes Androsteron," Zeitschrift für physiologische Chemie, Band 233 (1935), pp. 281-83.

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of testosterone was in 1935

Dictionary Entries Near testosterone

testone

testosterone

test pattern

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Testosterone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/testosterone. Accessed 18 Aug. 2024.

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Kids Definition

testosterone

noun
tes·​tos·​ter·​one te-ˈstäs-tə-ˌrōn How to pronounce testosterone (audio)
: a male hormone produced by the testes that causes the development of the male reproductive system and secondary sex characteristics

Medical Definition

testosterone

noun
tes·​tos·​ter·​one te-ˈstäs-tə-ˌrōn How to pronounce testosterone (audio)
: a male hormone that is a crystalline hydroxy steroid ketone C19H28O2 produced primarily by the testes or made synthetically and that is the main androgen responsible for inducing and maintaining male secondary sex characteristics see androgel, axiron

More from Merriam-Webster on testosterone

Nglish: Translation of testosterone for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of testosterone for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about testosterone

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