English Explanatory Dictionary

prion

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A self-propagating misfolded conformer of a protein that is responsible for a number of diseases that affect the brain and other neural tissue.
noun
  1. A petrel of the genera Pachyptila and Halobaena.

Pronunciation

/ˈpɹiːɒn/ /ˈpɹaɪən/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-prion.wav LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-prion2.wav En-us-prion.oga /ˈpɹʌɪən/

Word forms

prion prions

Etymology

From (a reordering of) the initial letters of proteinaceous infectious particle. Coined by American neurologist and biochemist Stanley B. Prusiner in 1982.

Synonyms

pachyptile

Related words

bovine spongiform encephalopathy Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease kuru mad cow disease New Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease scrapie chronic wasting disease viroid

Derived words

antiprion miniprion prionaemia prion disease prionemia prionic prionlike prionochezia prionogenesis prionogenic prionopathy prionose prionosis prion protein prionsialia Antarctic prion broad-biled prion fairy prion fulmar prion Salvin's prion slender-billed prion
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