I. ˈgland, -aa(ə)- noun
( -s )
Etymology: French glande gland (organ of secretion), glandular swelling especially on the neck, from Middle French, acorn, gland (organ of secretion), glandular swelling especially on the neck, from Old French, acorn, glandular swelling especially on the neck, from glant, gland acorn, from Latin gland-, glans; akin to Greek balanos acorn, Lithuanian gilė
1.
a. : a cell or group of cells that selectively removes materials from the blood, concentrates or alters them, and secretes them for further use in the body or for elimination from the body and that typically consists of columnar or cuboidal epithelium resting on a basement membrane that is surrounded by a plexus of blood vessels — see endocrine , exocrine , holocrine , merocrine
b. : any of various animal structures suggestive of glands though not glandular in function: as
(1) : lymph gland
(2) : glans
c. glands plural : a diseased or inflamed condition of glands (as the lymph or salivary glands of the neck)
2.
a. : any of various special secreting organs of plants: as
(1) : one or more of the hairs on the leaves of sundew
(2) : one or more of the extrafloral nectaries of many plants
b. : any of certain small protuberances of plants (as on the petiole of a peach leaf)
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: origin unknown
1. : a device (as a series of carbon rings or of interlocking teeth) for preventing leakage of steam, water, gas, or other fluid past a joint (as in machinery) ; specifically : the movable part of a stuffing box by which the packing is compressed
2. : a short tube fitted to the envelope of a balloon or airship so that a rope may slide through without causing leakage