# gland

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɡlænd/ · frequency rank #17,620

## Definitions
1. A specialized cell, group of cells, or organ of endothelial origin in the human or animal body that synthesizes a chemical substance, such as hormones or breast milk, and releases it, often into the bloodstream (endocrine gland) or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface (exocrine gland).
2. A specialized cell, group of cells, or organ of endothelial origin in the human or animal body that synthesizes a chemical substance, such as hormones or breast milk, and releases it, often into the bloodstream (endocrine gland) or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface (exocrine gland).
3. A secretory structure on the surface of an organ.

## Etymology
Late 17th century borrowing from French glande, alteration of Old French glandre, from Latin glandulae (“throat glands, tonsils”), plural of glandula (“a little acorn”), from glāns (“an acorn”) + -ula (diminutive nominal suffix).

## Easily confused with
- **glen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gland-vs-glen)
- **grad** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gland-vs-grad)
- **gran** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gland-vs-gran)
- **glyn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gland-vs-glyn)
- **guan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gland-vs-guan)
- **goad** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gland-vs-goad)
- **grand** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gland-vs-grand)
- **glass** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gland-vs-glass)
- **guard** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gland-vs-guard)
- **grant** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gland-vs-grant)
- **Glenn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gland-vs-glenn)
- **grind** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gland-vs-grind)
- **glued** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gland-vs-glued)
- **glare** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gland-vs-glare)
- **glaze** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gland-vs-glaze)
- **Golan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gland-vs-golan)
- **Glynn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gland-vs-glynn)
- **glean** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gland-vs-glean)
- **glens** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gland-vs-glens)
- **glint** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gland-vs-glint)

## Common misspellings (8)
`galnd`, `ggland`, `gladn`, `glandd`, `glannd`, `glland`, `glnad`, `lgand`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/gland