gland
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gland¹
- /ɡlænd/ Canada, US, UK
- [ɡleənd] ~ [ɡlɛənd]
- /ɡland/ British, Northern England, Scotland
- /ɡlæːnd/ Australia
- [ɡleːnd] ~ [ɡlɛeːnd]
- /ɡlɛnd/ New Zealand
Rhymes with -ænd
Where it comes from
Late 17th century borrowing from French glande, alteration of Old French glandre, from Latin glandulae (“throat glands, tonsils”), plural of glandula (“a little acorn”), from glāns (“an acorn”) + -ula (diminutive nominal suffix).
noun glands
- A specialized cell, group of cells, or organ of endothelial origin in the human or animal body that synthesizes a chemical substance, such as hormones or breast milk, and releases it, often into the bloodstream (endocrine gland) or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface (exocrine gland).
- A structure resembling a gland, especially a lymph node.
- A secretory structure on the surface of an organ.
- A stuffing box used to seal a rotating or reciprocating shaft against a fluid. The gland of a tap/faucet is usually packed with string which has been soaked in tallow or similar grease.
Similar: gland
gland²
- /ɡlænd/ Canada, US, UK
- [ɡleənd] ~ [ɡlɛənd]
- /ɡland/ British, Northern England, Scotland
- /ɡlæːnd/ Australia
- [ɡleːnd] ~ [ɡlɛeːnd]
- /ɡlɛnd/ New Zealand
Rhymes with -ænd
Where it comes from
Early 19th century, probably from Scots glam (“vice, clamp”), probably from a variant of clam (“clam; clamp, vise”). Related to clamp.
noun glands
- A compressable cylindrical case and its contents around a shaft where it passes through a barrier, intended to prevent the passage of a fluid past the barrier, used for example around a ship’s propeller shaft or around a tap, valve or faucet.
Similar: gland
Gland³
Where it comes from
From French, from Middle French glans, of Celtic/Gaulish origin, from Proto-Celtic *glanos (“pure, clear, clean”). Not related to gland (“gland, acorn”).
proper noun
- A commune in Yonne department, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France.
- A commune in Aisne department, Hauts-de-France, France.
- A municipality in Nyon district, Vaud canton, Switzerland.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: secretory organ, gall, glandular, saliva, penis, blubber, grease, oil, lymph, fat, acorn, nut, tip, cement, old, dickhead
noun
Similar: gland
noun
Similar: gland
Translations
Every language
noun organ that synthesizes and secretes substance
| Español | glándula |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 선 seon |
| 日本語 | 腺 sen, グランド gurando |
| 中文 | 腺體 /腺体 xiàntǐ, 腺 xiàn |
| हिन्दी | ग्रंथि granthi |
| Português | glândula |
| Français | glande |
| Deutsch | Drüse, Stinkdrüse |
| Italiano | ghiandola |
| Ελληνικά | αδένας adénas |
| Română | glandă |
| Русский | железа́ železá |
| Tiếng Việt | tuyến |
| العربية | غُدَّة ḡudda |
| עברית | בַּלּוּטָה balutá |
noun secretory structure on the surface of an organ
| Español | glándula |
|---|---|
| हिन्दी | ग्रंथि granthi |
| Português | glândula |
| Deutsch | Drüse |
| Italiano | ghiandola |
| Русский | железа́ železá |
noun cylindrical case used for straining
| Ελληνικά | στυπιοθλήπτης stypiothlíptis |
|---|---|
| Русский | са́льник sálʹnik |
Talk about this word "gland." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/gland. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. gland. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/gland "gland." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/gland.Cite this
@misc{gland_2026,
title = {gland},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/gland},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
