DETERMINANT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does determinant mean? 

• DETERMINANT (noun)
  The noun DETERMINANT has 3 senses:

1. a determining or causal element or factor

2. the site on the surface of an antigen molecule to which an antibody attaches itself

3. a square matrix used to solve simultaneous equations

  Familiarity information: DETERMINANT used as a noun is uncommon.

• DETERMINANT (adjective)
  The adjective DETERMINANT has 1 sense:

1. having the power or quality of deciding

  Familiarity information: DETERMINANT used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DETERMINANT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A determining or causal element or factor

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

causal factor; determinant; determinative; determiner; determining factor

Context example:

education is an important determinant of one's outlook on life

Hypernyms ("determinant" is a kind of...):

cognitive factor (something immaterial (as a circumstance or influence) that contributes to producing a result)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "determinant"):

clincher; decisive factor (a point or fact or remark that settles something conclusively)

influence (a cognitive factor that tends to have an effect on what you do)

Derivation:

determinant (having the power or quality of deciding)

determine (shape or influence; give direction to)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The site on the surface of an antigen molecule to which an antibody attaches itself

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

antigenic determinant; determinant; epitope

Hypernyms ("determinant" is a kind of...):

site; situation (physical position in relation to the surroundings)

Domain category:

immunology (the branch of medical science that studies the body's immune system)

Holonyms ("determinant" is a part of...):

antigen (any substance (as a toxin or enzyme) that stimulates an immune response in the body (especially the production of antibodies))

Sense 3

Meaning:

A square matrix used to solve simultaneous equations

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Hypernyms ("determinant" is a kind of...):

square matrix (a matrix with the same number of rows and columns)

• DETERMINANT (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Having the power or quality of deciding

Synonyms:

deciding; determinant; determinative; determining

Context example:

the determinative (or determinant) battle

Similar:

decisive (determining or having the power to determine an outcome)

Derivation:

determinant (a determining or causal element or factor)

determine (reach, make, or come to a decision about something)

determine (decide upon or fix definitely)

 Context examples 

Alpha sequences have relatively simple structure; beta chains carry the major polymorphic determinants.

(HLA-DR Antigen, NCI Thesaurus)

Unique, genetically controlled determinants present on antibodies whose specificity is limited to a single group of proteins (e.g., another antibody molecule or an individual myeloma protein).

(Idiotype, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

Derived from wild-type HSV-1 strain F, this agent has been neuroattenuated by deletions in both copies of the gamma34.5 gene, the major determinant of HSV neurovirulence.

(G207, NCI Thesaurus)

The presence of deoxycytidine kinase in a tumor is a determinant of tumor sensitivity to this drug.

(Fazarabine, NCI Thesaurus)

A unique feature of this study was to employ identical twins in order to control for the large genetic determinant to humans' sleep duration.

(Chronic Sleep Deprivation Suppresses Immune System, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

TNT exploits the presence of degenerating and necrotic cells within tumors by utilizing MOAbs directed against universal, intracellular nucleosomal determinants consisting of histone H1 and DNA.

(Iodine I 131 Monoclonal Antibody TNT-1/B, NCI Thesaurus)

An idiotypic determinant of a monoclonal antibody directed against antigens preferentially expressed by the cell line BL-3 derived from bovine leukemia or lymphoma (BL) cells.

(Monoclonal Antibody BL3-GD Idiotypic Determinant, NCI Thesaurus)

In addition to sharing a number of common B and T cell determinants with Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium w (Mw) also shares an immunogenic determinant with prostate specific antigen (PSA).

(Mycobacterium w, NCI Thesaurus)

Epidemiologic research on the environmental and genetic determinants of cancer.

(Molecular Epidemiology of Cancer, NCI Thesaurus)

Consequently, M A idiotypic determinants may have utility in the immunodiagnosis or immunotherapy of certain types of cancer.

(M A Idiotypic Determinants, NCI Thesaurus)