hormone therapy

noun

: the therapeutic use of hormones: such as

a

: the administration of hormones especially to increase diminished levels in the body

especially : hormone replacement therapy

b

: therapy involving the use of drugs or surgical procedures to suppress the production of or to inhibit the effects of a hormone (such as estrogen or testosterone)

hormone therapy to treat breast or prostate cancer

c

: the administration or use of sex hormones (such as estrogen or testosterone) or other agents (such as antiandrogens) to suppress or induce the development of certain secondary sex characteristics to better align with the gender identity of a transgender or gender nonconforming individual

Many transgender people take lifelong hormone therapy …

—Carina Storrs

Examples of hormone therapy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Under the new policy, an athlete assigned female at birth who has begun hormone therapy can practice with a women’s team but cannot compete on a women’s team without risking the team’s eligibility for championships. —Amanda Davies, Aleks Klosok and George Ramsay, CNN, 18 Feb. 2025

Students assigned female at birth who are taking testosterone or engaging in hormone therapy are also banned from women’s teams. —Russell Leung, CNBC, 6 Feb. 2025

In another instance, one of the plaintiffs, a 17-year-old from Virginia identified in filings as W.G., was set to continue receiving hormone therapy from doctors at Virginia Commonwealth University Health and Children's Hospital, but had her appointment canceled. —Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2025

This can include hormone therapy and potentially surgery. —David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

hormone therapy

noun

variants or hormonal therapy

: the therapeutic use of hormones: as

a

: the administration of hormones especially to increase diminished levels in the body

especially : hormone replacement therapy

b

: therapy involving the use of drugs or surgical procedures to suppress the production of or inhibit the effects of a hormone (as estrogen or testosterone)

hormone therapy to treat breast or prostate cancer

c

: the administration or use of sex hormones or other agents (as antiandrogens) to suppress or induce the development of certain secondary sex characteristics to better align with the gender identity of an individual

Many transgender people take lifelong hormone therapy …

—Carina Storrs