ecdysoneEnglishOxford Dictionary of Englishecdysone /ˈɛkdɪsəʊn , ɛkˈdʌɪsəʊn / ▸ noun [mass noun] Biochemistry a steroid hormone that controls moulting in insects and other arthropods. – ORIGIN 1950s: from Greek ekdusis ‘shedding’ + -one.