juvenile hormone

noun

: an insect hormone that is secreted by the corpora allata, inhibits maturation to the imago, and plays a role in reproduction

Examples of juvenile hormone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And the females had very high levels of one particular hormone (called juvenile hormone III) in their bodies. — Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 10 June 2016 Because the juvenile hormone is known to regulate metamorphosis in insects, the finding could mean that some of the molecular mechanisms controlling the process evolved in a common ancestor of worms and insects. — Byelizabeth Pennisi, science.org, 17 Jan. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of juvenile hormone was in 1940

Rhymes for juvenile hormone

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Browse Nearby Words

juvenile diabetes
juvenile hormone
juvenile insurance
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Cite this Entry

“Juvenile hormone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/juvenile%20hormone. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on juvenile hormone

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about juvenile hormone

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