phytoalexin

P3H4Y4T1O1A1L1E1X8I1N1

noun

any of several classes of antibiotics produced by plants in response to microorganisms

OriginEnglish alexin ← Ancient Greek φῠτόν (phŭtón) ← Proto-Indo-European *bʰuHyéti →
Scrabble 26
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Meanings

nounphytoalexin (plural phytoalexins)

plural phytoalexins

  1. medicineany of several classes of antibiotics produced by plants in response to microorganisms

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰuH-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*bʰuHyéti
  3. Ancient Greekφῠ́ω (phŭ́ō)
  4. Ancient Greekφῠτός (phŭtós)
  5. Ancient Greekφῠτόν (phŭtón)
  6. Englishphyto-
  7. Englishalexin
  8. Englishphytoalexin

From phyto- + alexin.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

phytoalexin. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phytoalexin

MLA

“phytoalexin.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phytoalexin. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “phytoalexin,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phytoalexin.

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