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antibody

Syllabification: (an·ti·bod·y)
Pronunciation: /ˈantiˌbädē/

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Definition of antibody

noun (plural antibodies)

  • a blood protein produced in response to and counteracting a specific antigen. Antibodies combine chemically with substances that the body recognizes as alien, such as bacteria, viruses, and foreign substances in the blood.

Origin:

early 20th century: from anti- + body, translating German Antikörper, from anti- 'against' + Körper 'body'

antibody in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of antibody in the British & World English dictionary