n. pl. pi·tu·i·tar·ies 1. The pituitary gland. 2. Medicine An extract from the anterior or posterior lobes of the pituitary gland, prepared for therapeutic use. adj. 1. Of or relating to the pituitary gland. 2. Of or secreting phlegm or mucus; mucous. [From Latin pītuītārius, of phlegm (from the early belief that it produced mucus), from pītuīta, phlegm; see peiə- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.