Meaning & use
antigen
A substance that the body recognizes as foreign and that triggers an immune response.
See it in a sentence
The rapid test detects a viral antigen in a sample from the nose.
Exposure to the antigen caused the immune system to produce protective antibodies.
A note on using this word
Antigen and antibody are often confused; the antigen is the trigger, the antibody is the immune system's response.
Words with a similar meaning
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