| endocrine system The bodily system that consists of the endocrine glands and the hormones that they secrete. See Note at hormone. |
The system of endocrine glands in the body. The endocrine system chemically controls the various functions of cells, tissues, and organs through the secretion of hormones. The endocrine system includes the adrenal glands, parathyroid gland, pituitary gland, and thyroid gland, as well as the ovaries, pancreas, and testes.
any of the systems found in animals for the production of hormones, substances that regulate the functioning of the organism. Such a system may range, at its simplest, from the neurosecretory, involving one or more centres in the nervous system, to the complex array of glands found in the human endocrine system.