agonist
noun/ˈæɡəˌnɪst/ · /ˈeɪ̯ɡəˌnɪst/
Etymology Borrowed from Latin agōnista, from Ancient Greek ἀγωνιστής (agōnistḗs, “combatant, champion”). By surface analysis, agon or agony + -ist.
1
Someone involved in a contest or battle (as in an agon), protagonist.
2
The muscle that contracts while the other relaxes.
- When bending the elbow, the biceps is the agonist.
3
Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Medicine, Microbiology, Natural sciences, Pharmacology, Physical sciences, Sciences A molecule that can combine with a receptor on a cell to produce a physiological reaction.
- Acetylcholine is an agonist at the cholinergic receptor.
- Derived terms
- agonistical, agonistics, antagonist, co-agonist, coagonist, deuteragonist, inverse agonist, protagonist, superagonist, tritagonist