hemagglutinin

Upper-Intermediate (B2)

IPA: /hɪˈmæɡ.luː.tɪ.nɪn/

KK: /hɛˈmæɡlʊtɪnɪn/

noun

Definition

A substance that causes red blood cells to clump together, often found in antibodies or certain viruses.

Example

The hemagglutinin in the virus helps it to attach to and infect host cells.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of hemagglutinin?

No, what's that?

It's a protein that can cause red blood cells to clump together.

Sounds interesting! Is it related to viruses or something?

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

agglutinin

antibody

protein

Antonyms

diluent

dispersant

solvent

Root Explanation

Hemagglutinin is formed from "hema-" (from Greek "haima", meaning blood) and "agglutinin" (from Latin "agglutinare", meaning to glue together). The term refers to a substance that causes the clumping of red blood cells, effectively 'gluing' them together.

Memory Tip

Think of 'blood' ('hema-') being 'glued together' ('agglutinin') — that's what hemagglutinin does.

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