secretin

1 9.5

A chemical from the small intestine that makes the pancreas release bicarbonate to neutralize acid

noun
/sɪˈkrɛtɪn/

Specialized

: secretina

Examples

Levels of gastrin, secretin, and vasoactive intestinal peptide were normal.

Academic text (2007)
The doctor explained that secretin helps regulate the release of digestive fluids when we consume food.
In the study, researchers observed how secretin influences pancreatic function during digestion.
After testing, it was found that secretin levels increased significantly in response to an excess of stomach acid.

Surface Forms

secretin singular

secretins plural

Morphology

secretin = secretion (opaque) = secret + in

Although formed from the root related to 'secrete'/'secretion' plus the biochemical suffix '-in', the meaning 'a specific digestive hormone' is specialized and not predictable to an average learner from the base word.

Etymology

Secretin comes from the verb secrete, which means 'to send out' or 'release', plus the common ending -in used for many hormones. So secretin is literally a substance that makes parts of the digestive system send out fluids, which fits its job of triggering the pancreas and bile ducts to release water and bicarbonate to neutralize acid.