antiepithelial
|an-ti-ep-i-the-li-al|
/ˌæn.tiˌɛp.ɪˈθiː.li.əl/
against epithelial tissue
Etymology
'antiepithelial' is a modern English formation combining the Greek-derived prefix 'anti-' and the adjective 'epithelial' (from New Latin 'epithelium'), where 'anti-' meant 'against' and 'epithelial' derives from Greek elements meaning 'upon' (epi-) and 'nipple' (thēlē) via 'epitheleion'.
'epithelial' comes into English from New Latin 'epithelium' (from Greek 'epitheleion'), and the compound 'antiepithelial' arose in modern medical/biological English by prefixing 'anti-' to the adjective 'epithelial'.
Initially the components meant 'against' (anti-) and 'upon the nipple' (via 'epitheleion' for epithelium); in modern use the compound has kept a literal sense of 'against or destructive to epithelial tissue' in medical contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
acting against, inhibiting, or destructive to epithelial cells or epithelial tissue (used especially in medical or biological contexts).
The experimental compound showed antiepithelial activity, reducing the viability of several epithelial tumor cell lines.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/31 16:31