antigenicity
|an-ti-ge-nic-i-ty|
/ˌæn.tɪ.dʒəˈnɪsɪti/
the property of being antigenic
Etymology
'antigenicity' originates from modern English, specifically formed from the noun 'antigen' plus the suffix '-icity' (from Latin '-icitas'), where 'antigen' was coined in the early 20th century as a term for a substance related to antibody production and '-icity' denotes 'state or quality'.
'antigen' was coined around 1900 as a shortened form of 'antibody generator' or 'antibody-generating substance'; later, the abstract noun-forming suffix '-icity' was attached to create 'antigenicity' to denote the property or state.
Initially, 'antigen' and related terms emphasized substances that induced antibody production; over time, 'antigenicity' has come to denote more broadly the property of binding specifically to components of the immune system (not only inducing antibodies).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the quality or property of a substance (an antigen) that enables it to bind specifically with the products of the immune system (for example, antibodies or T-cell receptors); essentially, the state of being antigenic.
The antigenicity of the viral protein was assessed to predict how strongly it would be recognized by antibodies.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/01 13:32