About The Word Virus
Learn about the word Virus to help solve your crossword puzzle. Discover Virus definitions and meaning, origins, synonyms, related terms and more at the free Crossword Dictionary.
Virus
Virus Definition And Meaning |
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What's The Definition Of Virus?
[n] ultramicroscopic infectious agent that replicates itself only within cells of living hosts; many are pathogenic; a piece of nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) wrapped in a thin coat of protein
Synonyms | Synonyms for Virus: Related Terms | Find terms related to Virus: See Also | animal virus | bacteriophage | microorganism | phage | plant virus | slow virus | tumor virus Virus In Webster's Dictionary \Vi"rus\, n. [L., a slimy liquid, a poisonous liquid,
poison, stench; akin to Gr. ? poison, Skr. visha. Cf.
{Wizen}, v. i.]
1. (Med.)
(a) Contagious or poisonous matter, as of specific ulcers,
the bite of snakes, etc.; -- applied to organic
poisons.
(b) The special contagion, inappreciable to the senses and
acting in exceedingly minute quantities, by which a
disease is introduced into the organism and maintained
there.
Note: The specific virus of diseases is now regarded as a
microscopic living vegetable organism which multiplies
within the body, and, either by its own action or by
the associated development of a chemical poison, causes
the phenomena of the special disease.
2. Fig.: Any morbid corrupting quality in intellectual or
moral conditions; something that poisons the mind or the
soul; as, the virus of obscene books.
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