antigen

A1N1T1I1G2E1N1

noun

A substance that induces an immune response, usually foreign (nonself) but not always so.

Opposite
antibodyAbimmunoglobulinimmune globulin
OriginFrench antigène ← Ancient Greek ἀντι- (anti-) ← Proto-Indo-European *h₂énti →
CommonScrabble 8
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Meanings

nounantigen (plural antigens)

plural antigens

  1. immunologyA substance that induces an immune response, usually foreign (nonself) but not always so.

    Antonyms: antibody, Ab, immunoglobulin, immune globulin

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA substance that induces an immune response, usually foreign (nonself) but not always so.

Opposite
antibodyAbimmunoglobulinimmune globulin
Also see
immunoantigen

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ent-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂énts
  3. Proto-Indo-European*h₂énti
  4. Ancient Greekᾰ̓ντῐ́ (ăntĭ́)
  5. Ancient Greekἀντι- (anti-)
  6. Frenchanti-
  7. Frenchgène
  8. Frenchantigène
  9. Englishantigen

From French antigène, from anti- + gène.

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian антиген
  • антиген (antigen)substance that induces an immune response
Catalan antigen
  • antigensubstance that induces an immune response
Chinese Mandarin 抗原
  • 抗原 (kàngyuán)substance that induces an immune response
Czech antigen
  • antigensubstance that induces an immune response
Dutch antigeen
  • antigeensubstance that induces an immune response
Esperanto antigeno
  • antigenosubstance that induces an immune response
Finnish antigeeni
  • antigeenisubstance that induces an immune response
French antigène
  • antigènesubstance that induces an immune response
German Antigen
  • Antigensubstance that induces an immune response
Greek αντιγόνο
  • αντιγόνο (antigóno)substance that induces an immune response
Hungarian antigén
  • antigénsubstance that induces an immune response
Indonesian antigen
  • antigensubstance that induces an immune response
Irish antaigin
  • antaiginsubstance that induces an immune response
Italian antigene
  • antigenesubstance that induces an immune response
Japanese 抗原
  • 抗原 (kōgen)substance that induces an immune response
Korean 항원
  • 항원 (hang'won)substance that induces an immune response
Latin antigenum
  • antigenumsubstance that induces an immune response
Malay antigen
  • antigensubstance that induces an immune response
Māori akiaki paturopi
  • akiaki paturopisubstance that induces an immune response
Persian آنتیژن
  • آنتیژنsubstance that induces an immune response
Polish antygen
  • antygensubstance that induces an immune response
Portuguese antígeno
  • antígenosubstance that induces an immune response
Romanian antigen
  • antigensubstance that induces an immune response
Russian антиге́н
  • антиге́н (antigén)substance that induces an immune response
Spanish antígeno
  • antígenosubstance that induces an immune response
Swahili antijeni
  • antijenisubstance that induces an immune response
Swedish antigen
  • antigensubstance that induces an immune response
Tamil பிறபொருளெதிரியாக்கி
  • பிறபொருளெதிரியாக்கி (piṟaporuḷetiriyākki)substance that induces an immune response
Thai สารก่อภูมิต้านทาน, แอนติเจน
  • สารก่อภูมิต้านทาน (sǎan-gɔ̀ɔ-puum-dtâan-taan)substance that induces an immune response
  • แอนติเจน (ɛɛn-dtì-jên)substance that induces an immune response
Turkish antijen
  • antijensubstance that induces an immune response
Vietnamese kháng nguyên
  • kháng nguyênsubstance that induces an immune response

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

gentian
Cite this entry
APA

antigen. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antigen

MLA

“antigen.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antigen. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “antigen,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antigen.

Source: antigen on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.