endotoxin
|en-do-tox-in|
🇺🇸
/ˌɛndoʊˈtɑksɪn/
🇬🇧
/ˌɛndəʊˈtɒksɪn/
poison inside a bacterium
Etymology
'endotoxin' originates from Greek: specifically the prefix 'endon' meaning 'within' and 'toxin' from Greek 'toxikon' meaning 'poison'.
'endotoxin' was formed in scientific English by combining the Greek-derived prefix 'endo-' (within) with 'toxin' (poison), becoming established in bacteriology to denote toxins associated with the interior or structural components of bacteria (late 19th to early 20th century usage in microbiology).
Initially a general sense of 'poison within' (a toxin associated with the inside of an organism or cell); over time it became a technical term referring specifically to bacterial components (notably lipopolysaccharide) that elicit immune responses.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a toxic molecule associated with the outer membrane of certain bacteria (especially Gram-negative bacteria) that is released when the bacterial cell disintegrates; commonly refers to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) that can trigger strong immune responses such as fever and septic shock.
Endotoxins released from Gram-negative bacteria can trigger septic shock in susceptible patients.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/26 20:46