phytoalexin Hear it!

phytoalexin definition

phyto·alex·in (fīt′ō ə lek′sin)

noun

an antibiotic produced by a plant in response to the intrusion of a disease-producing agent, esp. a fungus

Etymology: < phyto- + Gr alexein, to defend

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.