Endogén

Endogén is an adjective used across disciplines to describe something that originates from within a system, organism, or process, rather than from external sources. The term comes from Greek endon meaning within and genesis meaning to produce. While the exact meaning is adapted to different fields, the core idea is internal causation or production.

In biology and medicine, endogenous refers to substances or processes produced by the organism itself. Examples include endogenous hormones released by internal glands, endogenous circadian rhythms regulated by internal clocks, and internal metabolic processes. Endogenous factors are contrasted with exogenous factors, which originate outside the organism or system.

In geology and earth sciences, endogenic (or endogenous) processes are those driven by internal Earth dynamics, such as tectonic activity and volcanism. In contrast, exogenic processes are driven by external forces like weathering, erosion, and hydrological cycles. The study of these processes often emphasizes how internal and external factors interact to shape the landscape.

In economics and social sciences, endogenous denotes variables or causes that arise within a model or system. Endogenous growth theory, for example, attributes long-run economic growth to factors generated inside the economy, such as investments in knowledge, innovation, and human capital, rather than to external technological progress alone.

Usage notes: the term is language-dependent and may appear with diacritics (endogén, endogène, endogène, etc.). In all contexts, it conveys internal origin or development as opposed to exogenous, external causation.