merocrine

adjective

mer·​o·​crine ˈmer-ə-krən 

-ˌkrīn,

-ˌkrēn

: producing a secretion that does not contain cellular components and is discharged without major damage to the secreting cell

also : produced by a merocrine gland

Examples of merocrine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Nikole Paige Rickard, a veterinary technician at the VCA Apex Animal Hospital in Apex, North Carolina, tells Woman's Day that dogs sweat through their paws with glands called merocrine glands. —Jo Yurcaba, Woman's Day, 2 Jan. 2020

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French mérocrine, from méro- mero- + -crine, from the stem of Greek krī́nein "to separate, choose, decide" — more at certain entry 1

Note: See note at holocrine.

First Known Use

circa 1905, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

merocrine

adjective

mero·​crine ˈmer-ə-krən  -ˌkrīn  -ˌkrēn 

: producing a secretion that is discharged without major damage to the secreting cells

merocrine glands

also : of or produced by a merocrine gland

a merocrine secretion

compare apocrine, eccrine, holocrine