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Glite Dictionary
follicle-stimulating hormone

follicle-stimulating hormone

6.3
A chemical made by a small gland at the base of the brain that helps eggs grow and sperm form
  • noun
  • /ˈfɑlɪkəl ˈstɪmjʊˌleɪtɪŋ ˈhɔrmoʊn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : hormona foliculoestimulante
  • An increase in follicle-stimulating hormone can indicate that a woman's ovaries are not functioning properly.
  • follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)

They checked an FSH or follicle stimulating hormone.

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Examples

  • The pituitary gland produces and stores luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).

    Academic text (2012)

  • The follicle-stimulating hormone plays a crucial role in regulating the menstrual cycle by promoting the growth of ovarian follicles.

  • Doctors measure follicle-stimulating hormone levels to assess fertility in both men and women.

Synonyms

FSH
vsfollicle-stimulating hormone
  • Specialized
2 6.8

A substance from a small brain gland that helps eggs grow in women and sperm in men

is the full formal name written out in full

Surface Forms

follicle-stimulating hormone singular
follicle-stimulating hormones plural

Morphology

follicle-stimulating + hormone

The compound is compositionally built: 'follicle-stimulating' = 'stimulating follicles' and 'hormone' = chemical messenger, so the whole means 'a hormone that stimulates follicles.' This follows a common English modifier+noun pattern and is directly derivable by a learner who knows the constituent words, despite being a medical term.

Etymology

Follicle-stimulating hormone is a chemical message from a small gland in the brain; its name shows what it does: follicle means the tiny 'egg sacs' in the ovary, stimulating means 'making them grow', and hormone is a chemical message. So, the hormone 'tells' those follicles to grow and, in men, helps the body make sperm.