Adrenaline is the hormone that floods the body in fright or excitement. An adrenaline rush, running on adrenaline, adrenaline kicked in.
It widens the airways, speeds the heart and sends blood to the muscles within seconds, which is why an injection of it is the treatment for a severe allergic reaction. Americans call the same substance epinephrine, which causes real confusion on medicine labels.
1nounadrenalineThe hormone released in fright or excitement.
“As the plane door opened, she felt a rush of adrenaline before she jumped.”
adrenaline is a hormone.
Coined in 1901 from adrenal, the gland above the kidney, from Latin ad, near, plus renes, kidneys.
From adrenal + -ine. From adrenal + -ine, coined by Q910647 in 1901.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA