Definition

A type of steroid hormone made in the adrenal glands and gonads, which is important for producing male and female sex hormones.

Example

Androstenedione is often used in sports supplements to enhance performance.

Conversation

I was reading about hormones, and I came across androstenedione—have you heard of it?

Yeah, I think it's a precursor to testosterone and estrogen, right?

Exactly! It’s interesting how our bodies produce androstenedione naturally.

Totally! It’s amazing how complex our hormonal systems are.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Androstenedione is formed from "andro-" (from Greek "aner" meaning man) and "steno-" (from Greek "stenos" meaning narrow) and "dione" (from the suffix indicating a ketone or a compound with two carbonyl groups). The word refers to a steroid hormone that is a precursor to testosterone, thus relating to male characteristics.

Memory Tip

Think of 'man' ('andro-') and 'narrow' ('steno-') to remember that androstenedione is a compound related to male hormones.

Visually Confused Words