self-reactivity
|self-re-ac-ti-vi-ty|
/ˌsɛlf.riːækˈtɪvɪti/
reaction to oneself
Etymology
'self-reactivity' is formed in modern English by combining 'self' (Old English 'self') and 'reactivity' (from 'react' + suffix '-ivity'). 'react' ultimately derives from Latin elements 're-' meaning 'again' and 'agere' meaning 'to do/act'.
'react' developed from Latin components into Medieval Latin forms (e.g. 'reactus'), passed through Old French/late Latin reflexive forms (e.g. French 'réagir'), and entered English as 'react'; 'reactivity' was formed by adding the noun-forming suffix '-ivity', and 'self-reactivity' is a modern compound combining 'self' + 'reactivity'.
Originally 'reactivity' broadly meant 'the capacity to respond to a stimulus'; over time, in biomedical contexts the compound 'self-reactivity' came to denote specifically 'reactivity directed against one's own tissues or antigens'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
in immunology, the tendency or capacity of immune cells (e.g., T cells, B cells) to respond to the body's own antigens, potentially leading to autoimmunity.
High self-reactivity of T cells is associated with the development of autoimmune disease.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 2
a more general sense: the tendency of an organism or system to react to its own components, signals, or actions (used in psychology or systems theory).
Her heightened self-reactivity caused her to misinterpret normal bodily sensations as signs of illness.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/09 14:26