Endorphin

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɛnˈdɔːfɪn/

Definitions

1. A group of hormones synthesized by the body that function to reduce pain and induce feelings of well-being and happiness
2. Biochemical compounds created internally that play a role in diminishing pain and improving mood during times of stress or discomfort
3. Natural chemicals produced by the body that help alleviate pain and create sensations of pleasure and emotional relief

Etymology: Endorphin is a blend of two words, and one of them is a drug name. Its first half comes from "endogenous," meaning produced from within the body, shortened to "endo-." Its second half is "morphine," the opium-derived painkiller. Put together, the name means something like "the body's own morphine," a description that fits the molecule's job closely. The scientific context explains the pairing. Researchers had found that the brain contains receptors that respond to morphine, which raised the question of why the body would have sites designed for a plant drug. The discovery that the brain makes its own compounds that act on those same receptors answered it, and the word was coined to name that class of chemicals. The term was borrowed into English from French "endorphine," so English speakers took up the coinage along with the science behind it.

Synonyms: morphine, painkiller, analgesic, neuropeptide, hormone