calcitonin

C3A1L1C3I1T1O1N1I1N1
UK/ˌkæl.sɪˈtəʊ.nɪn/US/ˌkæl.sɪˈtoʊ.nɪn/

noun

A polypeptide hormone secreted by the thyroid gland that has the effect of lowering blood calcium.

Similar
thyrocalcitonin
OriginEnglish tonic ← Ancient Greek τονῐκός (tonĭkós) ← Proto-Hellenic *tónos →
UncommonScrabble 14
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Meanings

nouncalcitonin (countable and uncountable, plural calcitonins)

plural calcitonins · alternative thyrocalcitonin

  1. countableuncountablebiochemistryA polypeptide hormone secreted by the thyroid gland that has the effect of lowering blood calcium.

    Intriguingly, the rat C1b isoform of the calcitonin receptor (CTR) (see Section VI-B) has very little interaction with the thyroidally derived form of calcitonin.

    1997, Louis V. Avioli, Metabolic Bone Disease and Clinically Related Disorders, page 98
  2. countableuncountablemedicineA synthetic or recombinant form of calcitonin used to treat Paget disease of bone and postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounthyroid hormone that tends to lower the level of calcium in the blood plasma and inhibit resorption of bone

Similar
thyrocalcitonin
Broader
thyroid hormone

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekχᾰ́λῐξ (khắlĭx)bor.?
  2. Latincalx
  3. Englishcalcium
  4. Englishcalci-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*ten-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*tónos
  7. Proto-Hellenic*tónos
  8. Ancient Greekτόνος (tónos)
  9. Ancient Greekτονῐκός (tonĭkós)
  10. Englishtonic
  11. Englishcalcitonin

From calci- + tonic + -in.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

German Calcitonin
  • CalcitoninTranslations
Greek καλσιτονίνη
  • καλσιτονίνη (kalsitoníni)Translations
Italian calcitonina
  • calcitoninaTranslations
Turkish kalsitonin
  • kalsitoninTranslations

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

conciliant
Cite this entry
APA

calcitonin. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/calcitonin

MLA

“calcitonin.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/calcitonin. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “calcitonin,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/calcitonin.

Source: calcitonin on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.