tumor necrosis factor

noun

Any of several polypeptide hormones, produced by macrophages, that can destroy some cancer cells.

Similar
tumour necrosis factorTNF
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Meanings

nountumor necrosis factor (plural tumor necrosis factors)

plural tumor necrosis factors · alternative tumour necrosis factor

  1. biochemistryAny of several polypeptide hormones, produced by macrophages, that can destroy some cancer cells.

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna proinflammatory cytokine that is produced by white blood cells (monocytes and macrophages); has an antineoplastic effect but causes inflammation (as in rheumatoid arthritis)

Similar
tumour necrosis factorTNF
Broader
cytokine

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 腫瘤壞死因子 /肿瘤坏死因子
  • 腫瘤壞死因子 /肿瘤坏死因子 (zhǒngliú huàisǐ yīnzǐ)hormone
Finnish tuumorinekroositekijä
  • tuumorinekroositekijähormone
French facteur de nécrose tumorale
  • facteur de nécrose tumoralehormone
Cite this entry
APA

tumor necrosis factor. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tumor%20necrosis%20factor

MLA

“tumor necrosis factor.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tumor%20necrosis%20factor. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tumor necrosis factor,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tumor%20necrosis%20factor.

Source: tumor necrosis factor on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.