nonself
noun
non·self
ˌnän-ˈself 
Southern also -ˈsef
: material that is foreign to the body of an organism
Examples of nonself in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Here was a question of biology that even a poet or philosopher could love: How does the body distinguish between self and nonself, I and Thou?
—
Dan Hurley, Discover Magazine, 19 Aug. 2010
That is why the roaming T and B cells of the immune system can go after invading microbes (nonself) while leaving its own cells and organs (self) intact.
—Dan Hurley, Discover Magazine, 19 Aug. 2010
Immunology—her academic specialty—hinges on an essentially military metaphor of distinction between self and nonself: The immune system protects the homeland by destroying invaders.
—Gabriel Winant, The New Republic, 23 May 2018
Dan Hurley, Discover Magazine, 19 Aug. 2010
That is why the roaming T and B cells of the immune system can go after invading microbes (nonself) while leaving its own cells and organs (self) intact.
—Dan Hurley, Discover Magazine, 19 Aug. 2010
Immunology—her academic specialty—hinges on an essentially military metaphor of distinction between self and nonself: The immune system protects the homeland by destroying invaders.
—Gabriel Winant, The New Republic, 23 May 2018
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nonself.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Nonself.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonself. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
nonself
noun
non·self
ˈnän-ˈself
: material that is foreign to the body of an organism
nonself
adjective
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