chemoattractant
|che-mo-at-trac-tant|
🇺🇸
/ˌkiːmoʊəˈtræktənt/
🇬🇧
/ˌkiːməʊəˈtræktənt/
chemical attractor
Etymology
'chemoattractant' originates from the combination of 'chemo-' meaning 'chemical' and 'attractant' meaning 'a substance that attracts'.
The term 'chemoattractant' was formed by combining the prefix 'chemo-' with the word 'attractant' in the 20th century.
Initially, it referred to any chemical that attracts, but it has become more specific to substances that attract cells, especially in biological contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a chemical substance that attracts cells, particularly immune cells, to move towards its source.
The chemoattractant guided the white blood cells to the site of infection.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/05/02 03:22