pituitary

Meanings

Adjective

• Of or relating to the pituitary gland.
• Mucous.

Noun

• The pituitary gland.
• The pituitary gland together with the pituitary stalk.
• An extract from the pituitary gland.

Related

Similar words

• hypophysis

Origin

• 1610s, from Latin pītuītārius ("mucous"), from pītuīta, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *peyH- ("to be fat, swell"). Taken as the name for the gland because it was believed that it channeled mucus to the nose. As a noun by 1899.