immunoglobulin-like
|im-mu-no-glo-bu-lin-like|
🇺🇸
/ˌɪm.jə.noʊˈɡlɑːb.jə.lɪnˈlaɪk/
🇬🇧
/ˌɪm.juː.nəˈɡlɒb.jʊ.lɪnˈlaɪk/
resembling an antibody (structure)
Etymology
'immunoglobulin-like' originates from Modern English, formed by combining the noun 'immunoglobulin' and the adjectival suffix '-like' (meaning 'resembling').
'immunoglobulin' itself originates from New Latin elements: 'immuno-' (from Latin 'immunis' meaning 'exempt') + 'globulin' (from Latin 'globulus' meaning 'small round mass'), coined in the early 20th century to name antibody proteins; adding '-like' produced the descriptive compound 'immunoglobulin-like'.
Initially, 'immunoglobulin' referred specifically to antibody proteins; the compound 'immunoglobulin-like' has been used in molecular biology to denote resemblance to immunoglobulins or immunoglobulin domains rather than identity, a usage that has remained stable in technical contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
resembling or having structural features similar to an immunoglobulin (antibody) or to an immunoglobulin domain; often used to describe protein folds or domains.
The novel protein contains an immunoglobulin-like fold that suggests a role in cell adhesion.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/20 17:34