agonist
noun
- chemical substance which, upon binding to a receptor, leads to its activation
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈæɡəˌnɪst/ / /ˈeɪ̯ɡəˌnɪst/
noun
Etymology: Borrowed from Latin agōnista, from Ancient Greek ἀγωνιστής (agōnistḗs, “combatant, champion”). By surface analysis, agon or agony + -ist.
- Someone involved in a contest or battle (as in an agon), protagonist.
- The muscle that contracts while the other relaxes.
“When bending the elbow, the biceps is the agonist.”
- A molecule that can combine with a receptor on a cell to produce a physiological reaction.
“Acetylcholine is an agonist at the cholinergic receptor.”