pyrogen

noun

py·​ro·​gen ˈpī-rə-jən How to pronounce pyrogen (audio)
: a fever-producing substance

Examples of pyrogen 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.
Twenty-two participants either got a shot that included a pyrogen — an agent found in bacteria such as E. coli that causes fevers — or a placebo. Jennifer Walter, Discover Magazine, 29 Dec. 2020

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pyrogen was in 1875

Dictionary Entries Near pyrogen

Cite this Entry

“Pyrogen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pyrogen. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

pyrogen

noun
py·​ro·​gen ˈpī-rə-jən How to pronounce pyrogen (audio)
: a fever-producing substance (as various thermostable products of bacterial metabolism)

More from Merriam-Webster on pyrogen

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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