lysogenic

adjective

ly·​so·​gen·​ic ˌlī-sə-ˈje-nik How to pronounce lysogenic (audio)
1
: harboring a prophage as hereditary material
lysogenic bacteria
2
: temperate sense 3
lysogenic viruses
lysogenicity noun

Examples of lysogenic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This is the lysogenic cycle, an altogether stealthier approach to making more phages. Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 5 Jan. 2011 For the new bladder phage study, Putonti and colleagues at Loyola focused on the more complex lysogenic phages in urine. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 1 Feb. 2018 Additionally, phages can cause different types of infections, typically either lytic or lysogenic. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 1 Feb. 2018 In lysogenic infections, phages invade bacterial cells but then sneak their genetic code into that of the bacterium’s, sometimes disrupting genes. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 1 Feb. 2018 Viruses with this quality are called lysogenic phages. Marlene Cimons, Washington Post, 2 July 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lysogenic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

from the capacity of the prophage to lyse other bacteria

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lysogenic was in 1899

Dictionary Entries Near lysogenic

Cite this Entry

“Lysogenic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lysogenic. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

lysogenic

adjective
ly·​so·​gen·​ic ˌlī-sə-ˈjen-ik How to pronounce lysogenic (audio)
1
: harboring a prophage as hereditary material
lysogenic bacteria
2
: temperate sense 2
lysogenic viruses
lysogenicity noun
plural lysogenicities
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