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Glite Dictionary
🧪 A test antibody 🔬 Reacting with foreign
heterophile

heterophile

1 9.9
An antibody that reacts with substances from a different species, often used in medical tests
  • noun
  • /ˈhɛtərəˌfaɪl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : anticuerpo heterófilo
  • The "monospot" is a quick, inexpensive screening test based on the presence of serum heterophile antibodies.
  • heterophile antibody

Examples

  • The doctor explained that the presence of heterophile antibodies in the patient's blood suggests an infection from another species.

  • Her serum was positive for the heterophile antibody as well as the EBV capsid antibody, but negative for the EBV nuclear antibody.

    Academic text (1995)

  • An EBV heterophile antibody test (Monospot) was negative, and she was treated for bacterial pharyngitis.

    Academic text (1995)

  • In the laboratory, technicians often test for heterophile antibodies to diagnose certain viral infections quickly.

  • She was relieved to learn that the heterophile antibody test can indicate if her symptoms are caused by a specific viral infection.

Synonyms

heterophile antibody
vsheterophile
  • Specialized
1 7.5

A substance in the blood that reacts to parts from other animals and often appears in people with glandular fever

is more general and used in diagnostic tests beyond mononucleosis
heterophil antibody
vsheterophile
  • Specialized
7.8

An antibody in blood that helps doctors diagnose glandular fever

is defined by reacting with antigens from different species not only disease markers

Compounds

heterophile antibody
  • Specialized
1 7.5

A substance in the blood that reacts to parts from other animals and often appears in people with glandular fever

Surface Forms

heterophile singular
heterophiles plural

Morphology

heterophile = phile (semi-transparent) = hetero + phile

The noun keeps the same compositional structure, but the specific medical diagnostic sense is not fully predictable from the parts alone.

Etymology

Heterophile comes from Greek parts hetero- 'different' and -phile 'loving', like in heterosexual and bibliophile. So a heterophile antibody 'reacts with' antigens from another species, which is why doctors use heterophile tests to help find some infections.