Cushingoid

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. Relating to or characteristic of Cushing's syndrome, a disorder caused by prolonged exposure to high levels of cortisol in the body
2. Describing the physical features, such as a rounded face and fat deposits on the trunk, associated with Cushing's syndrome
3. Of or resembling the condition known as Cushing's syndrome, marked by excess cortisol and its characteristic bodily changes

Etymology: Harvey Cushing, the American neurosurgeon, gave his name to a set of clinical signs, and "cushingoid" is the adjective for a person whose features resemble those of Cushing's syndrome. The word is simply a surname plus a suffix: "-oid" comes from Greek "eidos", meaning "form" or "resemblance", so the term means "resembling Cushing('s)." The surname is what makes the word, and the suffix is what makes it an adjective. Attaching "-oid" to a person's name to describe a resemblance is a common pattern in medical vocabulary, and "cushingoid" follows it directly. Its use is confined almost entirely to clinical writing, where it describes the rounded face, central weight gain and other changes that appear with excess corticosteroid levels.