mutagenn.
/ˈmjuːtədʒ(ə)n/, U.S. /ˈmjudəˌdʒɛn/, /ˈmjudədʒ(ə)n/ Biology.
A substance or agent that causes genetic mutation.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > biological processes > genetic activity > [noun] > changes or actions of genes or chromosomes > mutation > agent causing
mutagen1946
1946 Proc. Royal Soc. Edinb. B. 62 220 In unpublished experiments with chemical mutagens, a significant change in the rate of induced lethals was recorded.
1952 New Biol. 12 86 Certain chemical substances, or penetrating radiation such as ultra-violet or X-rays, may increase the mutation rate considerably. Those agents, called ‘mutagens’, are at present being intensively studied.
1971 J. Z. Young Introd. Study Man xxviii. 393 Another implication of the randomness of the effects of mutagens is that no amount of them is too small to be biologically irrelevant.
1987 Ecologist Mar.–June 97/1 The real causes of cancer are natural dietary carcinogens, largely because mutagens can be found in a variety of foods.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.1946