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Glite Dictionary
duct gland

duct gland

5.6
A body part that makes liquid like sweat or saliva and sends it through a tube to a surface
  • noun
  • /dʌkt ɡlænd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : glándula ductal
  • Sweat glands are classified as duct glands because they secrete sweat through ducts to the skin surface.

Examples

  • The salivary gland is a type of duct gland that produces saliva in the mouth.

  • Unlike an endocrine gland, a duct gland releases its products externally rather than into the bloodstream.

  • The duct gland produces hormones.

  • Many duct glands are found in the human body.

  • Sweat glands are classified as duct glands because they secrete sweat through ducts to the skin surface.

  • The salivary gland is a type of duct gland that produces saliva in the mouth.

  • Unlike endocrine glands, a duct gland releases its products externally rather than into the bloodstream.

Synonyms

exocrine gland
vsduct gland
  • Specialized
5.8

A body part that makes and sends liquids through a tube to the body's surface or inside it

has identical meaning but is phrased as the two word medical name
exocrine
vsduct gland
  • Specialized
9.3

A gland that sends its liquid out through a tube onto a surface not into the blood

also applies when secretions go to internal surfaces rather than only outward

Surface Forms

duct gland singular
duct glands plural

Morphology

duct + gland

The sense 'a gland that releases its secretion through a duct' is directly and predictably composed from 'duct' (a hollow channel conveying fluid) + 'gland' (an organ that releases fluids). This noun-noun compounding follows transparent, cross-linguistic compositional logic, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer the meaning.

Etymology

Duct gland comes from the simple image of a gland with a small tube called a duct that carries its fluid to a surface. So a duct gland means a gland that releases its secretion 'externally' rather than 'into the bloodstream'.