te·rat·o·gen (t -r t -jn, t r-t-)n. An agent, such as a virus, a drug, or radiation, that causes malformation of an embryo or fetus. |
teratogen [ˈtɛrətədʒən tɪˈrætə-]
n
(Medicine) any substance, organism, or process that causes malformations in a fetus. Teratogens include certain drugs (such as thalidomide), infections (such as German measles), and ionizing radiation
teratogenic adj
teratogenicist n
teratogenicity n
| teratogen (t-rt-jn, tr-t-) An agent, such as a virus, a drug, or radiation, that can cause malformations in an embryo or fetus. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. | teratogen - any agent that interferes with normal embryonic development: alcohol or thalidomide or X-rays or rubella are examples thalidomide - a sedative and hypnotic drug; withdrawn from sale after discovered to cause severe birth defects because it inhibits angiogenesis agent - an active and efficient cause; capable of producing a certain effect; "their research uncovered new disease agents" |
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