Meaning
Any small molecule that can elicit an immune response only when attached to a large carrier such as a protein.
Etymology
Origin: Ancient Greek
Early 20th century: from German Hapten, from Ancient Greek ἅπτειν (háptein, “to fasten”).
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2026.