Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
pituitary body

pituitary body

5.8
A small oval gland at the base of the brain that controls other glands
  • noun
  • /pɪˈtjuːɪˌtɛri ˈbɒdi/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cuerpo pituitario
  • The pituitary body plays a crucial role in regulating hormone levels throughout the human body.

Examples

  • Tumors affecting the pituitary body can disrupt normal growth and development.

  • Doctors observed an abnormality in her pituitary body during the MRI scan.

  • The pituitary body is crucial for hormone regulation.

  • Many hormones are produced by the pituitary body.

  • The pituitary body plays a crucial role in regulating hormone levels throughout the human body.

  • Doctors observed an abnormality in her pituitary body during the MRI scan.

  • Tumors affecting the pituitary body can disrupt normal growth and development.

Synonyms

pituitary
vspituitary body
  • Specialized
5 6.8

A small gland at the base of the brain that controls growth and other glands

is broader referring to the whole gland that regulates many functions
pituitary gland
vspituitary body
  • Specialized
5 4.3

A small pea-shaped gland under the brain that controls other glands and body functions

is a small oval gland that focuses on regulating other glands
hypophysis
vspituitary body
  • Specialized
9.9

A small gland at the base of the brain that controls many body hormones

is the common descriptive term rather than the technical name

Surface Forms

pituitary body singular
pituitary bodies plural

Morphology

pituitary + body

The noun 'pituitary' already names the small endocrine gland and 'body' simply marks the main part or structure, so the phrase straightforwardly denotes that gland. The meaning is compositional and equivalent to 'pituitary gland' (a transparent modifier + head construction) and follows a common cross-linguistic pattern for anatomical terms, making it predictable to a learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Pituitary body comes from the old word pituitary, from Latin for 'phlegm', because early doctors thought this body made mucus. Today the pituitary body is a tiny gland under the brain that makes 'hormones' and controls other glands, so the name comes from older ideas rather than its real job.