cross-react: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Technical/Scientific (primarily medical/immunology); used metaphorically in other fields.
Quick answer
What does “cross-react” mean?
When an immune system's response to one substance (antigen) mistakenly triggers a similar response to another substance.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
When an immune system's response to one substance (antigen) mistakenly triggers a similar response to another substance.
A reaction, not necessarily immunological, where a response to one stimulus inadvertently or unintentionally triggers a response to a different but related stimulus.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or meaning differences. Both use 'cross-react' with hyphen. Usage frequency is identical across technical fields.
Connotations
Neutral technical term in both varieties.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general discourse; high frequency in medical, biochemical, and immunological texts in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “cross-react” in a Sentence
[Antibodies/T-cells] cross-react with [another antigen].[Substance X] can cross-react with [Substance Y].The immune response to [A] may cross-react against [B].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cross-react” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The patient's antibodies were found to cross-react with the pollen antigen.
- One must consider if the new vaccine could cross-react with autoantigens.
American English
- The lab results showed the serum could cross-react with several viral proteins.
- Researchers worry the treatment might cross-react with healthy tissues.
adverb
British English
- The antibodies reacted cross-reactively.
- (Note: extremely rare usage)
American English
- The serum reacted cross-reactively with both antigens.
- (Note: extremely rare usage)
adjective
British English
- The cross-reactive antibodies complicated the diagnosis.
- They observed a cross-reactive immune response.
American English
- The test showed high cross-reactive potential.
- A cross-reactive T-cell response was identified.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Metaphorically: 'The marketing campaign for our cereal might cross-react with our snack bar line, confusing consumers.'
Academic
Central in immunology: 'Serological tests can yield false positives if antibodies cross-react with similar epitopes.'
Everyday
Rare. Possibly metaphorical: 'My allergy to cats seems to cross-react with my reaction to some dogs.'
Technical
Primary context: 'The vaccine-induced antibodies were found to cross-react with several circulating viral strains.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cross-react”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cross-react”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cross-react”
- Using as a general synonym for 'interact' (incorrect).
- Omitting the hyphen ('crossreact').
- Confusing 'cross-react' (verb) with 'cross-reactivity' (noun).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily, yes. Its core meaning is immunological. However, it is used metaphorically in other scientific fields (e.g., chemistry) and occasionally in broader contexts to describe any similar mistaken or overlapping reaction.
'React' is a general term for responding to a stimulus. 'Cross-react' specifically means reacting to Substance B because of a prior sensitisation to a similar Substance A. It implies a lack of perfect specificity.
It is technically neutral, describing a mechanism. The connotation depends on context: negative in diagnostics (causing false positives), potentially positive in immunology (providing broader protection against variants).
Use it as a verb (often intransitive with 'with' or 'against'). Standard pattern: Subject (e.g., antibody, immune cell) + cross-react + with/against + object (different antigen).
When an immune system's response to one substance (antigen) mistakenly triggers a similar response to another substance.
Cross-react is usually technical/scientific (primarily medical/immunology); used metaphorically in other fields. in register.
Cross-react: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkrɒs riˈækt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkrɔːs riˈækt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No common idioms; technical concept.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CROSSroads where a REACTion meant for one road mistakenly turns onto another.
Conceptual Metaphor
MISTAKEN IDENTITY (The immune system mistakenly identifies one substance as another).
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'cross-react' most precisely and originally used?