Steroid hormones related to the male sex hormone testosterone. They promote the development of masculine characteristics and increase muscle growth. Anabolic steroids have been used medically for various conditions but are also used illegally by sportsmen and women and by bodybuilders. They have a number of deleterious side effects and are a controlled drug in
1. (in spectroscopy) The molar absorption coefficient (symbol ε ) is a quantity that characterizes the absorption of light (or any other type of electromagnetic radiation) as it passes through a sample of the absorbing material. It has the dimensions of 1/{concentration x length). e is dependent on the frequency of the incident light; its