oxytocin
noun
oxy·to·cin
| \ ËĂ€k-si-ËtĆ-sá”n
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Definition of oxytocin
: a pituitary octapeptide hormone C43H66N12O12S2 that stimulates especially the contraction of uterine muscle and the secretion of milk
Examples of oxytocin in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The psychoactive drug boosts chemicals like serotonin and oxytocin. — Will Stone, Scientific American, "MDMA, Or Ecstasy, Shows Promise As A PTSD Treatment," 21 Aug. 2019 Scientists found that in the brainâs reward system, the density of receptors for oxytocin in the prairie voles was much higher than in montane voles. — Sigal Samuel, Vox, "How your brain invents morality," 8 July 2019 Thereâs also evidence that increased oxytocin (the love and bonding hormone) in female dogs results in increased interactions with their owner, causing a corresponding increase in the ownerâs oxytocin levels. — Bronwyn Orr, Quartz, "Your stress is hurting your dog, according to a new study," 9 June 2019 For breast milk to be released, there need to be a release of oxytocin, Sargeant says. — Amy Haneline, USA TODAY, "Breastfeeding moms are raving about this simple hack to pump more milk," 6 June 2019 Pleasure-causing brain chemicals, among them oxytocin and dopamine, get released by evolutionarily adaptable activities such as mother-child bonding, in-group caring and the praise earned by cooperating with others. — Andrew Stark, WSJ, "âConscienceâ Review: Wired to Care," 12 June 2019 The act of nurturing something can release oxytocin, a hormone related to social bonding. — Boston.com Real Estate, "An infatuation with houseplants takes root in the millennial culture," 12 June 2019 But stress and oxytocin don't really play nice with one another. — Amy Haneline, USA TODAY, "Breastfeeding moms are raving about this simple hack to pump more milk," 6 June 2019 Dogs and humans have a very special relationship, where dogs have actually hijacked the human oxytocin bonding pathway that is normally reserved for our babies. — Megan Friedman, Country Living, "An Expert Has Confirmed That Dogs Understand How Much We Love Them," 28 Oct. 2016These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'oxytocin.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for oxytocin
oxytocin
noun
oxy·to·cin
| \ -ËtĆs-á”n
\
\
Medical Definition of oxytocin
1
: an octapeptide hormone C43H66N12O12S2 secreted by the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland that stimulates especially the contraction of uterine muscle and the secretion of milk
— called also alpha-hypophamine
2
: a synthetic version of oxytocin used especially to initiate or increase uterine contractions (as in the induction of labor) â see pitocin