PRION


Meaning of PRION in English

~ 1 [ 'prʌɪən ]

■ noun a small petrel of southern seas, having a wide bill fringed with comb-like plates for feeding on planktonic crustaceans. [Genus Pachyptila : six species.]

Origin

C19: mod. L. (former genus name), from Gk priōn 'a saw' (referring to its bill).

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~ 2 [ 'pri:ɒn ]

■ noun Microbiology a submicroscopic protein particle believed to be the cause of certain brain diseases such as BSE.

Origin

1980s: by rearrangement of elements from pro(teinaceous) in(fectious particle) .

Concise Oxford English vocab.      Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка.