Standard Lemma guide

calcitonin

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌkæl.sɪˈtəʊ.nɪn/
  • General-American: /ˌkæl.sɪˈtoʊ.nɪn/

1

noun

Meaning 1

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: biochemistry, biology, chemistry, microbiology, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A synthetic or recombinant form of calcitonin used to treat Paget disease of bone and postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: medicine, pharmacology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

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

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: thyrocalcitonin

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: thyroid hormone

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Latin calx Proto-Indo-European *-om Proto-Italic *-om Latin -umder. English -ium English calcium English calci- Proto-Indo-European *ten- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *tónos Proto-Hellenic *tónos Ancient Greek τόνος (tónos) Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Hellenic *-kos Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) Ancient Greek -ικός (-ikós) Ancient Greek τονῐκός (tonĭkós) English tonic Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *-iHnos Proto-Italic *-īnos Latin -īnusder. Old French -inbor. Middle English -in English -ineclip. English -in English calcitonin From calci- + tonic + -in.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • German: Calcitonin — Translations
  • Greek: καλσιτονίνη (kalsitoníni) — Translations
  • Italian: calcitonina — Translations
  • Turkish: kalsitonin — Translations