Standard Lemma guide

vasopressin

noun · 2 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: /ˌveɪzəʊˈpɹɛsɪn/
  • General-American: /ˌveɪzoʊˈpɹɛsɪn/

1

noun

Meaning 1

An antidiuretic hormone secreted by the pituitary gland.

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

hormone secreted by the posterior pituitary gland (trade name Pitressin) and also by nerve endings in the hypothalamus; affects blood pressure by stimulating capillary muscles and reduces urine flow by affecting reabsorption of water by kidney tubules

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: antidiuretic hormone, ADH, Pitressin

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: vasoconstrictor, vasoconstrictive, pressor, hormone, endocrine, internal secretion

History

Etymology

From vasopressor + -in, circa 1927; see details at vasopressor § Etymology.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese: 抗利尿激素 (kànglìniào jīsù) — an antidiuretic hormone secreted by the pituitary gland
  • Greek: αγγειοπιεσίνη (angeiopiesíni) — an antidiuretic hormone secreted by the pituitary gland
  • Greek: βασοπρεσίνη (vasopresíni) — an antidiuretic hormone secreted by the pituitary gland
  • Hungarian: vazopresszin — an antidiuretic hormone secreted by the pituitary gland
  • Portuguese: vasopressina — an antidiuretic hormone secreted by the pituitary gland
  • Swedish: antidiuretiskt hormon — an antidiuretic hormone secreted by the pituitary gland
  • Swedish: vasopressin — an antidiuretic hormone secreted by the pituitary gland