pheromone
UK[ˈferəməʊn]US[ˈferəmoʊn]
n
a chemical substance produced by an animal that influences the behavior of other animals of the same species.
Morpheme Breakdown
phero
mone
phero
carry
mone
hormone
Etymology
the word 'pheromone' is a modern scientific coinage, created in 1959 by blending the greek root 'pherein' (to carry) with the ending of the english word 'hormone'. the term was designed to describe a chemical signal that is 'carried' from one organism to another to trigger a specific behavioral or physiological response, analogous to how hormones act within an organism. while 'hormone' originates from the greek 'hormōn' (to set in motion), the 'mone' in 'pheromone' directly borrows this established english suffix. thus, the word's construction logically conveys its function as an external messenger that carries a stimulatory signal between individuals of the same species.
Analysis
Structure: phero (carry) + mone (hormone)
phero (from greek 'pherein', meaning 'to carry'); mone (a shortened form of 'hormone', from greek 'hormōn', meaning 'setting in motion, urging on').
Examples
ants use pheromone trails to guide other members of the colony to a food source.
the pheromone released by the female moth can attract males from several miles away.
scientists are studying insect pheromones to develop more targeted pest control methods.