heterophile

adjective

het·​ero·​phile ˈhe-tə-rə-ˌfī(-ə)l 

variants or heterophilic

ˌhe-t​ə-​rə-​ˈfi-​lik 

or less commonly heterophil

ˈhe-tə-rə-ˌfil 

: of, relating to, or being an antibody circulating in blood serum that is reactive with antigen originating in a different species

Word History

First Known Use

1920, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

heterophile

1 of 2 adjective

het·​ero·​phile ˈhet-ə-rə-ˌfīl 

variants or heterophilic

ˌhet-ə-rə-ˈfil-ik 

also heterophil

-ˌfil 

: of, relating to, or being an antibody circulating in blood serum that is reactive with usually weak antigen originating in a different species

Even though heterophile antibodies have nothing to do with EBV [Epstein-Barr virus] … heterophile antibody tests remain the principal method to diagnose IM [infectious mononucleosis] …

—Carey-Ann D. Burnham et al., in The Immunoassay Handbook: Theory and applications of ligand binding, ELISA and related techniques

heterophile

2 of 2 noun

variants or heterophil

: neutrophil

—used especially in veterinary medicine