pheromone

noun

pher·​o·​mone ˈfer-ə-ˌmōn How to pronounce pheromone (audio)
: a chemical substance that is usually produced by an animal and serves especially as a stimulus to other individuals of the same species for one or more behavioral responses
pheromonal
ˌfer-ə-ˈmō-nᵊl How to pronounce pheromone (audio)
adjective

Examples of pheromone 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.
Our observations suggest older bucks deposit pheromones on these rubs, and that plays an important role in the dominance ladder of a herd. —Michael Hanback, Outdoor Life, 7 Nov. 2024 These are literal trails where ants lay down a pheromone on the path to a food source to attract other ants from their colony. —Tamara Gane, Southern Living, 4 Nov. 2024 That could include pheromones left by friends, rivals, and potential mates. —Michael Irving, New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2024 Rats consider cats to be their predators and are highly sensitive to their pheromones. —Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for pheromone 

Word History

Etymology

Greek phérein "to carry" + -o- + -mone (in hormone) — more at bear entry 2

Note: Name introduced by the German biochemist Peter Karlson (1918-2001) and the Swiss entomologist Martin Lüscher (1917-79) in "'Pheromones': a New Term for a Class of Biologically Active Substances," Nature, vol. 183, no. 4653 (January 3, 1959), pp. 55-56: "We propose, therefore, the designation 'pheromone' for this group of active substances. The name is derived from the Greek pherein, to transfer; hormōn, to excite. Pheromones are defined as substances which are secreted to the outside by an individual and received by a second individual of the same species, in which they release a specific reaction, for example, a definite behaviour or a developmental process."

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pheromone was in 1959

Dictionary Entries Near pheromone

pheresis

pheromone

phew

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Pheromone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pheromone. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

pheromone

noun
pher·​o·​mone ˈfer-ə-ˌmōn How to pronounce pheromone (audio)
: a chemical substance (as a scent) that is produced by an animal and serves as a signal to other individuals of the same species to engage in some kind of behavior (as mating)

Medical Definition

pheromone

noun
pher·​o·​mone ˈfer-ə-ˌmōn How to pronounce pheromone (audio)
: a chemical substance that is produced by an animal and serves especially as a stimulus to other individuals of the same species for one or more behavioral responses

called also ectohormone

More from Merriam-Webster on pheromone

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pheromone

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