PCR-resistant
|P-C-R-re-sis-tant|
🇺🇸
/ˌpiː siː ˈɑːr rɪˈzɪstənt/
🇬🇧
/ˌpiː siː ˈɑː rɪˈzɪstənt/
not affected by PCR
Etymology
'PCR-resistant' originates from English as a compound of the acronym 'PCR' (from 'polymerase chain reaction') and the adjective 'resistant'. 'resistant' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'resistere', where the prefix 're-' meant 'back/again' and 'sistere' (or 'stare' in related forms) meant 'to stand'.
'resistere' changed into Old French forms like 'resister' and then into Middle English 'resisten'/'resistant', eventually becoming the Modern English adjective 'resistant'. The compound 'PCR-resistant' arose in late 20th century English with the adoption of PCR technology and is a modern coinage combining the acronym with the existing adjective.
Initially 'resistere' meant 'to stand back' or 'to oppose'; over time it evolved into the adjective 'resistant' meaning 'able to withstand or not be affected by'. In modern usage 'PCR-resistant' specifically denotes resistance to detection or amplification by PCR.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not readily affected by, detectable with, or amplifiable by polymerase chain reaction (PCR); able to resist PCR-based detection or amplification (e.g., due to inhibitors or sequence changes).
The variant appeared PCR-resistant, so standard assays failed to detect it reliably.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/10 10:09