Iodothyronine

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A compound produced by the thyroid gland that includes iodine and influences metabolism
2. A type of hormone synthesized in the thyroid gland characterized by the presence of iodine atoms
3. An iodine-containing hormone secreted by the thyroid that helps regulate bodily metabolic processes

Etymology: Thyronine is the name of the amino acid-based core of thyroid hormones, and the prefix "iodo-" simply marks the iodine atoms attached to it. The word is a plain technical compound, built the same way chemists name other substances after their chemical features, so there is no older sense or dramatic shift to report. The first part, "iodo-", comes from "iodine", the element named for its violet vapour. That name was coined from the Greek "ioeidēs", meaning "violet-coloured", which itself combines "ion", the violet flower, with "eidos", meaning "form" or "appearance". The Greek root therefore carries the idea of something looking like a violet, which is an odd origin for an element that is anything but flowery. The second part, "thyronine", was formed in the same systematic manner from "thyroid", the gland, with a chemical suffix. Joined together, the two parts describe a compound containing iodine, derived from the thyroid's hormone, and the word itself is a modern scientific coinage rather than something ancient.

Synonyms: thyroid hormone, T3, T4, thyroxine, triiodothyronine