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

But banking on perceptions to shift naturally is foolish, if for no other reason that there is always the possibility that some exogenous event might alter our course. —Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 7 Sep. 2023

And, actually, regarding the war as a whole, that this is sort of one of these exogenous factors that could have a major impact on the outcome. —Foreign Affairs, 17 July 2023

Photos of Pakistan’s Catastrophic Flooding For countries drowning in extreme weather, exogenous shocks, and high public debt, where will this money come from? —Time, 15 Aug. 2023

The wild ride in the value of Argentine assets is deeply impacted by exogenous factors, particularly international financial conditions. —Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes, 17 July 2023

What sets Genius Pre apart from other pre workouts is its use of exogenous ketones, which can help support ketosis and enhance fat burning. —Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 9 July 2023

There are two major types of antioxidants: endogenous and exogenous. —Cynthia Sass, Mph, Rd, Health, 4 July 2023

But every six weeks, the central bank also secretly stress tests its own policy decisions — assessing how interest rate hikes would stand up against a bevy of economic, geopolitical and other exogenous situations (think: global pandemic). —Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 29 June 2023

Taking exogenous testosterone, often prescribed as hormone replacement therapy (HRT), while practicing intermittent fasting can further enhance the potential benefits. —Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 25 June 2023

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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