opsonic
|op-son-ic|
🇺🇸
/ɑpˈsɑnɪk/
🇬🇧
/ɒpˈsɒnɪk/
promotes phagocytosis
Etymology
'opsonic' originates from Greek via New Latin, specifically the Greek word 'opsōn' (ὄψον) meaning 'relish' or 'cooked food', from which biomedical terms such as 'opsonin' were formed to describe substances that 'make palatable' to phagocytes.
'opsonic' changed from the biomedical noun 'opsonin' (coined in modern medical usage in the early 20th century) through the verb 'opsonize' (to coat with opsonins) and eventually produced the adjective 'opsonic' to describe substances or surfaces that promote opsonization.
Initially the Greek root meant 'relish' or 'food accompaniment', but over time it evolved in biomedical English to mean 'that which prepares or renders a particle ready for ingestion by phagocytes'; now it denotes 'promoting phagocytosis' or 'being coated for phagocytosis'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to or characteristic of opsonins or opsonization; promoting or facilitating opsonization (the coating of a particle or microorganism with molecules that enhance phagocytosis).
The serum contained opsonic factors that made the bacteria more readily ingested by phagocytes.
Synonyms
Adjective 2
describing a particle, cell, or surface state that has been coated with opsonins and is therefore rendered susceptible to phagocytosis (e.g., an opsonic surface).
Antibodies produced an opsonic coat on the pathogen, increasing clearance by macrophages.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/13 13:22