exogenous
Americanadjective
-
originating from outside; derived externally.
-
Botany.
-
(of plants, as the dicotyledons) having stems that grow by the addition of an annual layer of wood to the outside beneath the bark.
-
pertaining to plants having such stems.
-
belonging to the exogens.
-
-
Pathology. (of a disease) externally caused rather than resulting from conditions within the organism.
-
Biochemistry. of or noting the metabolic assimilation of proteins or other metabolites, the elimination of nitrogenous catabolites being in direct proportion to the amount of metabolites taken in.
-
Geology. exogenetic.
adjective
-
having an external origin
-
biology
-
developing or originating outside an organism or part of an organism
-
of or relating to external factors, such as light, that influence an organism
-
-
psychiatry (of a mental illness) caused by external factors
Other Word Forms
- exogenism noun
- exogenously adverb
Etymology
Origin of exogenous
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“That’s now exogenous; it isn’t going to change for a while,” he says.
From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026
He said while the company absorbed an exogenous shock linked to tariffs, which “disproportionately affecting ad spend from our top retail advertisers, this quarter also underscored where we need to move faster.”
From MarketWatch • Feb. 13, 2026
In Solow’s model, the big driver of growth was technological change, but it was exogenous.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 13, 2025
The skin serves as a barrier that restricts the penetration of particles and protects against exogenous threats.
From Science Daily • Feb. 29, 2024
On the other hand, Corda has proved Flabellaria borassifolia of Sternberg to be an exogenous plant, and Brongniart contends that it was allied to the Cycadeæ.
From Principles of Geology or, The Modern Changes of the Earth and its Inhabitants Considered as Illustrative of Geology by Lyell, Charles, Sir
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
