antigen
an·ti·gen
noun \ˈan-ti-jən, -ˌjen\Definition of ANTIGEN
: any substance (as an immunogen or a hapten) foreign to the body that evokes an immune response either alone or after forming a complex with a larger molecule (as a protein) and that is capable of binding with a product (as an antibody or T cell) of the immune response
— an·ti·gen·ic \ˌan-ti-ˈje-nik\ adjective
— an·ti·gen·i·cal·ly \-ni-k(ə-)lē\ adverb
— an·ti·ge·nic·i·ty \-jə-ˈni-sə-tē\ noun
See Origin of ANTIGEN
German, from French antigène, from anticorps antibody + -gène -gen
First Known Use: 1908
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