chromogen

noun

chro·​mo·​gen ˈkrō-mə-jən How to pronounce chromogen (audio)
1
: a precursor of a biochemical pigment
2
: a pigment-producing microorganism

Examples of chromogen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Whitening agents, which tend to be bleaching chemicals like carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide, break up the chromogen so that it can be easily washed away. Sarah Jacob, SELF, 13 Aug. 2021

Word History

Etymology

chromo- + -gen

Note: Term introduced by the Scottish chemist Thomas Charles Hope (1766-1844) in "Observations and Experiments on the Coloured and Colourable Matters in the Leaves and Flowers of Plants," a communication read on March 21, 1836, to the Royal Society of Edinburgh and published in the Society's Transactions, vol. 1, no. 6 (1836), pp. 126-28.

First Known Use

1858, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chromogen was in 1858

Dictionary Entries Near chromogen

Cite this Entry

“Chromogen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chromogen. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

chromogen

noun
chro·​mo·​gen ˈkrō-mə-jən How to pronounce chromogen (audio)
1
a
: a precursor of a biochemical pigment
b
: a compound not itself a dye but containing a chromophore and so capable of becoming one
2
: a pigment-producing microorganism
many bacteria are chromogens
chromogenic adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on chromogen

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!