autocoid
- noun
- /ˈɔːtəˌkɔɪd/
- Specialized
- Histamine is a well-known autocoid that plays a crucial role in local immune responses.
Examples
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In some cases, the body releases autocoids to regulate blood flow during injury.
-
The doctor explained that prostaglandins are a type of autocoid involved in pain and inflammation.
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"You did a paper on autocoids at the Gordon Conference."
Fiction book (2000)
Synonyms
A chemical the body makes that acts nearby and lasts only a short time
Surface Forms
Morphology
autocoid = auto + coid
The visible form suggests a classical combination with auto- ('self'), but the remaining element is a specialized scientific form, so an average learner cannot reliably infer the meaning.
Etymology
Autocoid comes from the parts auto- 'self' and -oid 'like', the same auto- you see in automatic and the -oid you see in humanoid. So an autocoid is a substance 'from the body itself' that acts locally near where it is made.