phytohemagglutinin
noun
phy·to·he·mag·glu·ti·nin
ˌfī-tō-ˌhē-mə-ˈglü-tə-nən 
: a proteinaceous hemagglutinin of plant origin used especially to induce mitosis (as in lymphocytes)
Examples of phytohemagglutinin in a Sentence
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Teams competed at last year’s event, which raised over $250,000, correctly spelling such winning words as tuyere, saurischian, and phytohemagglutinin.
—
Claire Law, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Feb. 2023
Some or most beans contain a toxin called a lectin or phytohemagglutinin (PHA); its highest concentration is in red kidney beans.
—Margaret Lauterbach, idahostatesman, 9 June 2017
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Claire Law, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Feb. 2023
Some or most beans contain a toxin called a lectin or phytohemagglutinin (PHA); its highest concentration is in red kidney beans.
—Margaret Lauterbach, idahostatesman, 9 June 2017
Cite this Entry
“Phytohemagglutinin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phytohemagglutinin. Accessed 7 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
phytohemagglutinin
noun
phy·to·hem·ag·glu·ti·nin
variants
or chiefly British phytohaemagglutinin
: a proteinaceous hemagglutinin of plant origin used especially to induce mitosis (as in lymphocytes)
—abbreviation PHA
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