Main Entry: ex·og·e·nous

Pronunciation: \ek-ˈsäj-ə-nəs\

Variant(s): also ex·o·gen·ic \ˌek-sō-ˈjen-ik\

Function: adjective

1 : growing from or on the outside <exogenous spores>
2 : caused by factors (as food or a traumatic factor) or an agent (as a disease-producing organism) from outside the organism or system <exogenous obesity> <exogenous psychic depression>
3 : introduced from or produced outside the organism or system ; specifically : not synthesized within the organism or system—compare endogenous

—ex·og·e·nous·ly adverb