germ

(jûrm)

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 genə- in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

germ

(dʒɜːm)

1. (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. (Biology) a simple structure, such as a fertilized egg, that is capable of developing into a complete organism

[C17: from French germe, from Latin germen sprig, bud, sprout, seed]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

germ

(dʒɜrm)

n.

1. a microorganism, esp. when disease-producing; microbe.

2. a bud, offshoot, or seed.

3. the rudiment of a living organism; an embryo in its early stages.

4. the initial stage in development or evolution, as a germ cell or ancestral form.

5. a source of development; origin; seed: the germ of an idea.

[1400–50; late Middle English < Middle French germe < Latin germen shoot, sprout, by dissimilation from *genmen=gen- (see genus) + -men resultative n. suffix)]

germ′like`, adj.

germ

(jûrm)

1. A microscopic organism or substance, especially a bacterium or a virus, that causes disease.

2. The earliest living form of an organism; a seed, spore, or bud.

Usage You've heard it many times. Some food falls on the floor, and someone (usually an adult) says, "Don't eat that now. It has germs on it." The word germ has been used to refer to invisible agents of disease since the 19th century, when scientists were first learning about the nature of disease. Similarly, the term microbe, which comes from the Greek prefix mikro-, "small," and word bios, "life," is a term that arose in the late 19th century in reference to the microscopic organisms that caused disease. The terms germ and microbe thus became associated with an early era of scientific research in which knowledge was very limited, and they are no longer used much by scientists. Thanks to generations of research, scientists today can usually identify the specific agents of disease, such as individual species of bacteria or viruses. When they want to refer generally to agents of disease, they use the term pathogen, which comes from Greek pathos, "suffering," and the suffix -gen, "producer." The term microorganism is used to refer to any one-celled microscopic organism, whether it causes disease or is harmless.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

germ

, germinate - From Latin germen, "seed, sprout."

germ

noun

1. microbe, virus, bug (informal), bacterium, bacillus, microorganism a germ that destroyed hundred of millions of lives

2. beginning, root, seed, origin, spark, bud, embryo, rudiment The germ of an idea took root in her mind.

Related words
fear spermaphobia, spermatophobia

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

germ

noun

1. A minute organism usually producing disease:

bug, microbe, microorganism.

2. A source of further growth and development:

bud, embryo, kernel, nucleus, seed, spark.

Translations

أصْل، بدايَةجُرْثُومةجُرْثومَه

bacilbakteriemikrobzárodek

bakteriekimmikrobespire

Keim Krankheitserreger

μικρόβιο

germen

bakteeri

microbe germe

mikrob

angi, vísir, kveikjasÿkill

germe microbo

細菌

병원균

mikrobasužuomazga

baktērijaiedīgļimikrobssākums

mikrob

bacill

เชื้อโรค

mikrop başlangıç

vi trùng

细菌萌芽病菌

germ

[dʒɜːm]

A. N (Bio) (fig) → germen m (Med) → microbio m, germen m
the germ of an idea → el germen de una idea

B. CPD germ carrier N → portador(a) m/f de microbios or gérmenes
germ cell N → célula f germinal
germ plasm N → germen m plasma
germ warfare N → guerra f bacteriológica

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

germ

[ˈdʒɜː^rm] n

(MEDICINE) → microbe m, germe m

[wheat] → germe m

(= beginning) the germ of an idea → le germe d'une idée

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

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

germ

[dʒɜːm] n (Med) → microbo (Bio) (also) (fig) → germe m

germ

(dʒəːm) noun

1. a very tiny animal or plant that causes disease. Disinfectant kills germs.

2. the small beginning (of anything). the germ of an idea.

germ

→ جُرْثُومة bacil bakterie Keim μικρόβιο germen bakteeri microbe mikrob germe 細菌 병원균 ziektekiem bakterie zarodek germe микроб bacill เชื้อโรค mikrop vi trùng 细菌

germ

n. microorganismo, bacteria causante de enfermedades; germ-free, estéril, axénico; libre de microorganismos;

___ cell → célula reproductora.

germ

n germen m, microbio; (of a seed) germen m; wheat — germen de trigo

Noun	1.	germ - anything that provides inspiration for later work source, seed 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 use microbe, bug microorganism, micro-organism - any organism of microscopic size