Any substance that can cause a rise in body temperature

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
n. (context medicine English) Any substance that produces fever, or a rise in body temperature

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary Word definitions in Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1858, as a proposed word for "electricity," from pyro- + -gen . Meaning "fever-producer" is from 1896. Related: Pyrogenic ; pyrogenetic . Greek pyrogenes meant "born in fire, wrought by fire."

The Collaborative International Dictionary Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Pyrogen \Pyr"o*gen\, n. [See Pyrogenous .] Electricity. [R.] (Physiol. Chem.) A poison separable from decomposed meat infusions, and supposed to be formed from albuminous matter through the agency of bacteria.

Wikipedia Word definitions in Wikipedia
Pyrogen may refer to: Pyrogen (fever) is a fever inducing substance Pyrogen (pyrotechnics) is a pyrotechnic composition producing flame when heated by e.g. a bridgewire

WordNet Word definitions in WordNet
n. any substance that can cause a rise in body temperature [syn: pyrectic ]