anabolic steroid

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

anabolic steroid
    n 1: any of a group of synthetic steroid hormones used to
         stimulate muscle and bone growth; more than 100 have been
         developed and each requires a prescription to be used
         legally in the United States; sometimes used illicitly by
         athletes to increase their strength

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Anabolic steroid \An`a*bol"ic ster"oid\, n. (Physiol., Chem.)
   any of a variety of synthetic derivatives or analogs of
   testosterone, which promote the increase of muscle mass and
   strength. The anabolic steroids are sometimes used by
   athletes to increase muscular strength so as to enhance their
   performance in competition. They have serious side effects,
   and the use of such compounds has been banned by many
   athletic regulatory committees.
   [PJC]