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gland

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gland

 

  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Pituitary  \Pi*tu"i*ta*ry\,  a.  [L.  pituita  phlegm,  pituite:  cf 
  F.  pituitarie.]  (Anat.) 
  a  Secreting  mucus  or  phlegm;  as  the  pituitary  membrane,  or 
  the  mucous  membrane  which  lines  the  nasal  cavities. 
  b  Of  or  pertaining  to  the  pituitary  body;  as  the  pituitary 
  fossa. 
 
  {Pituitary  body}  or  {gland}  (Anat.),  a  glandlike  body  of 
  unknown  function,  situated  in  the  pituitary  fossa,  and 
  connected  with  the  infundibulum  of  the  brain;  the 
  hypophysis. 
 
  {Pituitary  fossa}  (Anat.),  the  ephippium. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Gland  \Gland\,  n.  [F.  glande,  L.  glans,  glandis,  acorn;  akin  to 
  Gr  ?  for  ?,  and  ?  to  cast,  throw,  the  acorn  being  the 
  dropped  fruit.  Cf  {Parable},  n.] 
  1.  (Anat.) 
  a  An  organ  for  secreting  something  to  be  used  in  or 
  eliminated  from  the  body;  as  the  sebaceous  glands  of 
  the  skin;  the  salivary  glands  of  the  mouth. 
  b  An  organ  or  part  which  resembles  a  secreting,  or  true, 
  gland,  as  the  ductless,  lymphatic,  pineal,  and 
  pituitary  glands,  the  functions  of  which  are  very 
  imperfectly  known 
 
  Note:  The  true  secreting  glands  are  in  principle,  narrow 
  pouches  of  the  mucous  membranes,  or  of  the  integument, 
  lined  with  a  continuation  of  the  epithelium,  or  of  the 
  epidermis,  the  cells  of  which  produce  the  secretion 
  from  the  blood.  In  the  larger  glands,  the  pouches  are 
  tubular,  greatly  elongated,  and  coiled,  as  in  the  sweat 
  glands,  or  subdivided  and  branched,  making  compound  and 
  racemose  glands,  such  as  the  pancreas. 
 
  2.  (Bot.) 
  a  A  special  organ  of  plants,  usually  minute  and 
  globular,  which  often  secretes  some  kind  of  resinous, 
  gummy,  or  aromatic  product. 
  b  Any  very  small  prominence. 
 
  3.  (Steam  Mach.)  The  movable  part  of  a  stuffing  box  by  which 
  the  packing  is  compressed;  --  sometimes  called  a  follower. 
  See  Illust.  of  {Stuffing  box},  under  {Stuffing}. 
 
  4.  (Mach.)  The  crosspiece  of  a  bayonet  clutch. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  gland 
  n  :  any  of  various  organs  that  synthesize  substances  needed  by 
  the  body  and  release  it  through  ducts  or  directly  into 
  the  bloodstream  [syn:  {secretory  organ}]




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