agonist
Syllabification: (ag·o·nist)
Pronunciation: /ˈagənist/
Definition of agonist
noun
- 1 Biochemistry a substance that initiates a physiological response when combined with a receptor. Compare with antagonist.
- 2 Anatomy a muscle whose contraction moves a part of the body directly. Often contrasted with antagonist.
Derivatives
Pronunciation: /-ˌnizəm/
noun
Origin:
early 20th century: from Greek agōnistēs 'contestant' (a sense reflected in English in the early 17th century), from agōn 'contest'