testosterone
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testosterone
A sex hormone that is mainly responsible in men for the development of male sexual characteristics and for sperm production, but also occurs in smaller amounts in the female body.
Der Arzt überprüfte den Testosteronspiegel des Patienten im Blut.
The doctor checked the patient's testosterone level in his blood.
'Testosteron' (testosterone) is a scientific term. The first part, 'Testo-', derives from the Latin word 'testis' for testicle, the main production site of the hormone. The ending '-steron' identifies it as a steroid hormone.
Die chemische Struktur von Testosteron wurde im 20. Jahrhundert entschlüsselt.
The chemical structure of testosterone was deciphered in the 20th century.
In medical contexts, 'Testosteron' (testosterone) is often combined with certain nouns. Common combinations are 'der Testosteronspiegel' (testosterone level), 'der Testosteronmangel' (testosterone deficiency), or 'die Testosteronproduktion' (testosterone production).
Ein niedriger Testosteronspiegel kann verschiedene gesundheitliche Probleme verursachen.
A low testosterone level can cause various health problems.
You can recognize the figurative meaning from the context. When it is about behavior in competitive or conflict situations, the colloquial meaning is usually intended. If it is about medicine, biology, or blood values, the hormone is meant.
Bei dem Streit im Team war eine Menge Testosteron im Raum.
There was a lot of testosterone in the room during the argument in the team.
The use of 'Testosteron' (testosterone) for typically male behavior is colloquial and figurative. In formal or scientific texts, this behavior would be described differently.
Sein Kommentar war reines Testosteron, er wollte nur seine Dominanz zeigen.
His comment was pure testosterone; he just wanted to show his dominance.
masculinity
'Männlichkeit' and 'Testosteron' can both have to do with the male body or with ideas of masculine behavior. 'Testosteron' is first and foremost a hormone and belongs in medical or biological contexts. Colloquially, it can also stand for behavior that seems strongly masculine, for example dominance or a willingness to take risks. 'Männlichkeit', on the other hand, refers more to qualities, roles, or characteristics that a society sees as typically masculine. The words can be confused when talking about clichés about men. More precisely, however: 'Testosteron' is a substance in the body, while 'Männlichkeit' is an image or idea of what is considered masculine.
Vor dem Termin lässt der Arzt das Testosteron im Blut untersuchen.
Before the appointment, the doctor has the testosterone in the blood tested.
Im Kurs sprechen wir darüber, warum Männlichkeit heute sehr unterschiedlich verstanden wird.
In the course, we talk about why masculinity is understood in very different ways today.