concanavalin

noun

con·​ca·​nav·​a·​lin ˌkän-kə-ˈna-və-lən How to pronounce concanavalin (audio)
: a protein that occurs in the jack bean and is a mitogen and hemagglutinin

Word History

Etymology

com- + canavalin, a noncrystalline globulin found in the jack bean, from New Latin Canavalia, genus name of the jack bean

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of concanavalin was in 1917

Rhymes for concanavalin

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Browse Nearby Words

concameration
concanavalin
concasse
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Cite this Entry

“Concanavalin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/concanavalin. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.

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Medical Definition

concanavalin

noun
con·​ca·​nav·​a·​lin ˌkän-kə-ˈnav-ə-lən How to pronounce concanavalin (audio)
: either of two crystalline globulins occurring especially in the seeds of the jack bean
especially : one that is a potent hemagglutinin
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