thyroid

1 of 2

noun

thy·​roid ˈthī-ˌrȯid How to pronounce thyroid (audio)
1
: a large bilobed endocrine gland of vertebrates lying at the anterior base of the neck and producing especially the hormones thyroxine and triiodothyronine
2
: a preparation of the thyroid gland of various domestic animals used in treating thyroid disorders

thyroid

2 of 2

adjective

thy·​roid ˈthī-ˌrȯid How to pronounce thyroid (audio)
variants or less commonly thyroidal
1
a
: of, relating to, or being the thyroid gland
b
: suggestive of a disordered thyroid
a thyroid personality
2
: of, relating to, or being the chief cartilage of the larynx

Examples of thyroid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Mild cognitive impairment can sometimes be caused by easily addressable factors, such as medication side effects, thyroid dysfunction or vitamin B12 deficiency. Soeren Mattke, The Conversation, 21 Mar. 2024 By January 2023, doctors had removed the cancer in Elkind’s thyroid, and he had been cleared to return to smokejumping. ProPublica, 16 Mar. 2024 Hormone changes that occur when breastfeeding and during perimenopause Obesity Overactive or underactive thyroid PCOS Stress Sudden weight loss Too much physical activity Very low body fat 4. Anthea Levi, Health, 16 Mar. 2024 While were rehearsing, all of a sudden my thyroid quit working properly. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 15 Mar. 2024 The medication — which activates a thyroid hormone receptor in the liver to help reduce fat accumulation — is taken by mouth daily. Katherine Dillinger, CNN, 15 Mar. 2024 But, all too often, a patient’s pain is dismissed or misdiagnosed—for instance, as allergies, IBS, a thyroid disorder, or just plain old period problems, as SELF previously reported. Jenna Ryu, SELF, 14 Mar. 2024 Diagnosed with thyroid cancer at 39, Cordova was painfully aware of the connection to the tests. Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 11 Mar. 2024 What about diabetes, cancer, thyroid disease, high blood pressure or heart disease? Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 12 Feb. 2024
Adjective
Arizona's top attorney sued a thyroid drug maker, saying the company lied about the potency of its medication and the harmful effects on consumers. Taylor Seely, The Arizona Republic, 30 Dec. 2022 Today, iodine deficiencies are less common, with thyroid dysfunction from iodine deficiency affecting about 30 percent of the world. Anna Funk, Discover Magazine, 6 June 2021 Baffert, like many trainers, was using a thyroid drug that was cited in the CHRB investigation. Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2021 The pregnancy was delicate because of a thyroid condition Monica has, said Edgar, who works in a dairy while Monica stays home to care for their two other daughters. Rebekah L. Sanders, azcentral, 1 Jan. 2020 When thyroid hormones climb too high, the body destroys old bone faster than it can be replaced, which hastens osteoporosis. Hallie Levine, Health.com, 5 Dec. 2019 Neighbors and family members, even their own children, diagnosed with serious medical conditions, from thyroid disease to cancer. NBC News, 16 Dec. 2019 Keep in mind, though, that even when treatment successfully eliminates hypothyroidism in a case like yours, the underlying thyroid disorder remains. Mayo Clinic News Network, chicagotribune.com, 4 Oct. 2019 At the age of 12, Grace LaVigne developed a long-lasting friendship with a St. Paul doctor over an unlikely bonding experience — a thyroid tumor that caused frequent ear infections and could have done far worse. Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thyroid.' 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

Noun

short for thyroid gland — more at thyroid entry 2

Adjective

borrowed from New Latin thyroīdēs, shortened from thyreoīdēs, borrowed from Greek thyreoeidḗs "shield-shaped (of the cartilage in the larynx)," from thyreós "stone put against a door to keep it shut, oblong shield" (probably originally noun derivative of an adjective meaning "shaped like a door," from thýra "door" + -eos, suffix of appurtenance) + -oeidēs -oid entry 2 — more at door

Note: The form thyroīdēs presumably arose because the word was taken as directly derived from thýra "door," rather than from thyreós. The word thyroeidḗs "like a door" is marginally attested in ancient Greek.

First Known Use

Noun

1787, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

circa 1741, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of thyroid was circa 1741

Dictionary Entries Near thyroid

Cite this Entry

“Thyroid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thyroid. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

thyroid

1 of 2 adjective
thy·​roid ˈthī-ˌrȯid How to pronounce thyroid (audio)
: of, relating to, or being the thyroid gland

thyroid

2 of 2 noun
: a large endocrine gland at the base of the neck of most vertebrates that produces iodine-containing hormones (as thyroxine) that affect growth, development, and metabolism

called also thyroid gland

Medical Definition

thyroid

1 of 2 adjective
thy·​roid ˈthī-ˌrȯid How to pronounce thyroid (audio)
variants also thyroidal
1
a
: of, relating to, affecting, or being the thyroid gland
thyroid disorders
2
: of, relating to, or being the thyroid cartilage

thyroid

2 of 2 noun
1
: a large bilobed endocrine gland of craniate vertebrates that arises as a median ventral outgrowth of the pharynx, lies in the anterior base of the neck or anterior ventral part of the thorax, is often accompanied by lateral accessory glands sometimes more or less fused with the main mass, and produces especially the hormones thyroxine and triiodothyronine

called also thyroid gland

2
: a preparation of the thyroid gland of various domesticated food animals (as pigs) containing approximately ¹/₁₀ percent of iodine combined in thyroxine and used in treating thyroid disorders

called also thyroid extract

More from Merriam-Webster on thyroid

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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