exogenous

adjective

ex·​og·​e·​nous ek-ˈsä-jə-nəs 

1

: produced by growth from superficial tissue

exogenous roots produced by leaves

2

a

: caused by factors (such as food or a traumatic factor) or an agent (such as a disease-producing organism) from outside the organism or system

exogenous obesity

exogenous psychic depression

exogenous market fluctuations

b

: introduced from or produced outside the organism or system

specifically : not synthesized within the organism or system

exogenously adverb

Examples of exogenous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Capital isn’t as easy to come by, making small businesses more vulnerable and susceptible to exogenous threats. —Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2025

Mauricio Macri won his midterm elections, faced political difficulties in the immediate aftermath, and then succumbed to an exogenous shock that started in 2018 and sparked a nasty devaluation of the peso. —Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025

If anything went wrong on the timing of negotiations, tax cuts, or rates or some exogenous event occurred, team Trump would walk away with nothing to show for it but a lot of pain for everyone involved. —Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 8 Apr. 2025

Since 2018, the exogenous shocks have severely buffeted this industry. —Jerrold Lundquist, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French exogène exogenous, from exo- + -gène (from Greek -genēs born) — more at -gen

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

exogenous

adjective

ex·​og·​e·​nous ek-ˈsäj-ə-nəs 

variants also exogenic

ˌek-sō-ˈjen-ik 

1

: growing from or on the outside

exogenous spores

2

: caused by factors (as food or a traumatic event) or an agent (as a disease-producing organism) from outside the organism or system

exogenous obesity

exogenous depression

3

: introduced from or produced outside the organism or system

specifically : not synthesized within the organism or system compare endogenous

exogenously adverb