| germ (jûrm) n. 1. Biology A small mass of protoplasm or cells from which a new organism or one of its parts may develop. 2. The earliest form of an organism; a seed, bud, or spore. 3. A microorganism, especially a pathogen. 4. Something that may serve as the basis of further growth or development: the germ of a project. [Middle English, bud, from Old French germe, from Latin germen; see gen  - in Indo-European roots.] |
germ [dʒɜːm]
n
1. (Medicine / Pathology) a microorganism, esp one that produces disease in animals or plants
2. (often plural) the rudimentary or initial form of something the germs of revolution
3. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Biology) a simple structure, such as a fertilized egg, that is capable of developing into a complete organism
[from French germe, from Latin germen sprig, bud, sprout, seed]
| germ (jûrm) A microscopic organism or agent, especially one that is pathogenic, such as a bacterium or virus. Usage The terms germ and microbe have been used to refer to invisible agents of disease since the nineteenth century, when scientists introduced the germ theory of disease, the idea that infections and contagious diseases are caused by microorganisms. Microbe, a shortening and alteration of microorganism, comes from the Greek prefix mikro-, "small," and the word bios, "life." Scientists no longer use the terms germ and microbe very much. Today they can usually identify the specific agents of disease, such as individual species of bacteria or viruses. To refer generally to agents of disease, they use the term pathogen, from the Greek pathos, "suffering," and the suffix -gen, "producer." They use microorganism to refer to any unicellular organism, whether disease-causing or not. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. | germ - anything that provides inspiration for later work inspiration - arousal of the mind to special unusual activity or creativity taproot - something that provides an important central source for growth or development; "the taproot of his resentment"; "genius and insanity spring from the same taproot" muse - the source of an artist's inspiration; "Euterpe was his muse" |
| 2. | germ - a small apparently simple structure (as a fertilized egg) from which new tissue can develop into a complete organism anatomical structure, bodily structure, body structure, complex body part, structure - a particular complex anatomical part of a living thing; "he has good bone structure" | |
| 3. |  germ - a minute life form (especially a disease-causing bacterium); the term is not in technical usemicro-organism, microorganism - any organism of microscopic size |
germ
noun
Related words
fear spermaphobia, spermatophobia
fear spermaphobia, spermatophobia
Translations
germ [dʒɜːm]
germ
germ:
germ:
n (lit, fig) → Keim m; (of particular illness also) → Krankheitserreger m; (esp of cold) → Bazillus m; don’t spread your germs around → behalte deine Bazillen für dich
germ:
germ carrier
n → Bazillenträger m
germ cell
n (Biol) → Keimzelle f
germ-free
adj → keimfrei
germ:
germ-killer
n → keimtötendes Mittel
germ layer
n (Biol) → Keimblatt nt
germproof
adj → keimsicher, keimfrei
germ warfare
n → bakteriologische Kriegsführung, Bakterienkrieg m
germ [dʒɜːm] n (Med) → microbo (Bio) (also) (fig) → germe m
germ [dʒɜːm] n (Med) → microbo (Bio) (also) (fig) → germe m
germ [dʒɜːm] n (Med) → microbo (Bio) (also) (fig) → germe m
n germ [dʒəːm]
1 a very tiny animal or plant that causes disease Disinfectant kills germs. kiem جُرْثومَه микроб bakterie, mikrob bakterie; mikrobe der Krankheitserreger μικρόβιο germen pisik میکروب bakteeri microbe חיידק रोगाणु klica baktérium mikroba, kuman sÿkill germe 細菌 미생물 mikrobas, bakterija mikrobs; baktērija kuman ziektekiem bakterie, mikrobe zarazek germe microb микроб mikrób mikrob bacil bakterie เชื้อโรค mikrop 病菌 мікроб, бактерія جرثومہ vi trùng 病菌, 细菌
2 the small beginning (of anything) the germ of an idea. kiem أصْل، بدايَة зародиш zárodek kim; spire der Keim σπέρμα (μτφ.), αρχή germen, embrión, principio idu منشاء؛ سرآغاز siemen germe מקור अंकुर zametak csíra benih angi, vísir, kveikja germe 芽ばえ (발생, 발달의) 근원 užuomazga iedīgļi; sākums bibit kiem spire, kim zarodek embrião germen зачаток zárodok zametek klica frö, upprinnelse สิ่งแรกเริ่ม başlangıç 萌芽 зачаток ابتدائی خیال mầm mống 萌芽
germ → جرثومة bacil bakterie Keim μικρόβιο germen bakteeri microbe mikrob germe 細菌 병원균 ziektekiem bakterie zarodek germe микроб bacill เชื้อโรค mikrop vi trùng 细菌
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