Definitions

1. noun

A steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex in response to stress, low blood sugar, or other stimuli, involved in regulating metabolism, immune response, and other physiological processes.

“The doctor ordered a cortisol test to check the patient’s stress levels.”

2. noun

A substance that resembles or is related to cortisol in chemical structure or function, used in medicine or research.

“The scientists synthesized a cortisol analog to study its effects on the body.”