Cortisol
Etymology
The name combines "cortic-/cortex" (Latin "cortex," bark or outer rind — here the adrenal cortex that produces it) with the "-ol" suffix marking it as a steroid alcohol, as in "cholesterol." It was isolated and named in the mid-20th century.
noun · /KOR-tih-sol/
A hormone released by the adrenal glands that regulates the body’s stress response, metabolism, and more.
What it names
The biochemical name behind the phrase "the stress hormone" — the chemical that floods you under pressure.
Example
Chronic overwork keeps cortisol elevated, which wears the body down over time.
Related idea
Cortisol is the slower, sustained stress hormone; adrenaline is the fast one — the instant jolt of fight-or-flight, spent in minutes rather than hours.