virus en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ˈvaɪ.ɹəs/
- vīʹrəs
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *weys- Proto-Indo-European *wisós Proto-Italic *weizos Latin vīrusbor. Middle English virus English virus From Middle English virus, from Latin vīrus (“poison, slime, venom”), via rhotacism from Proto-Italic *weizos, from Proto-Indo-European *wisós (“fluidity, slime, poison”). First use in the computer context by David Gerrold in his 1972 book When HARLIE Was One.
Meanings
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(countable, uncountable) A submicroscopic, non-cellular structure that consists of a core of DNA or RNA surrounded by a protein coat, that requires a living host cell to replicate, and that sometimes causes disease in the host organism (such agents are often classed as nonliving infectious particles and less often as microorganisms).
Bats host many high-profile viruses that can infect humans, including severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola.
2013 May-June, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, page 193:Viruses are the smallest and most simplified forms of life.
2001, Leslie Iversen, Drugs: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford, page 64:
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(countable, uncountable) A submicroscopic, non-cellular structure that consists of a core of DNA or RNA surrounded by a protein coat, that requires a living host cell to replicate, and that sometimes causes disease in the host organism (such agents are often classed as nonliving infectious particles and less often as microorganisms). ▸ A species thereof.
Some viruses, such as norovirus, cause sporadic outbreaks of gastroenteritis.
Meronym: virion (individual particle)
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(countable, qualifier:occasionally proscribed, uncountable) A submicroscopic, non-cellular structure that consists of a core of DNA or RNA surrounded by a protein coat, that requires a living host cell to replicate, and that sometimes causes disease in the host organism (such agents are often classed as nonliving infectious particles and less often as microorganisms). ▸ An individual particle thereof: synonym of virion.
Under electron microscopy, a few viruses were seen floating near the cells.
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(uncountable) A quantity of such infectious agents, considered en masse.
Unless professionally inspected, they [plants] may also carry along unseen pests and diseases (particularly small insects and microbes such as virus or bacteria) whose populations might explode catastrophically in new locations.
2006, Norman E. Borlaug, Anthony Cunningham, Jane I. Guyer, Hans R. Herren, Calestous Juma, Akinlawon Mabogunje, Barbara Underwood, Montague Yudelman, chapter 1, in Lost Crops of Africa: Volume 2: Vegetables (U.S. National Research Council Consensus Study Report) (non-fiction), Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press, →DOI, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, archived from the original on 02 Sep 2021, page xviii:Not much virus was detectable on a nucleic acid test; the viral load was very low.
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(countable, informal, metonymically, uncountable) A disease caused by such an infectious agent; a viral illness.
He's got a virus and had to stay home from school.
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(archaic, countable, uncountable) Venom, as produced by a poisonous animal etc.
Brazil, that inferno where every budding flower and every buzzing bluebottle fly bears a lascivious virus.
1890, Aluísio Azevedo, The Slum:
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(countable, uncountable) A type of malware which can covertly transmit itself between computers via networks (especially the Internet) or removable storage such as disks by inserting its code into other executable files, often causing damage to systems and data; also computer virus.
Wait a minute! Is this one of those virus emails?!
2004 November 15, Michael Chapman; Matthew Chapman, “Strong Bad Email #118: virus”, in Homestar Runner, spoken by Strong Bad (Matthew Chapman):
- (countable, proscribed, uncountable) Any type of malware.
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(countable, figuratively, uncountable) Any malicious or dangerous entity that spreads from one place or person to another.
I am tired of the mind viruses that are crippling people living in the western world — especially in my own nation. Sadly, Australia is becoming known as a nation of whingers.
2011, Pat Mesiti, The $1 Million Reason to Change Your Mind:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| virusses | Number=Plur | rare | lexicographic |
| virus | Number=Plur | nonstandard, rare | lexicographic |
| virii | Number=Plur | proscribed | lexicographic |
| viruses | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| vira | Number=Plur | rare | lexicographic |
| viri | Number=Plur | proscribed | lexicographic |
Deriveds
intervirus · papillomavirus · encephalovirus · palaeovirus · retrovirus · virusemia · baculovirus · leukaemiavirus · viruscide · virous · macrovirus · cyclovirus · ribovirus · girus · immunovirus · frankenvirus · oncovirus · viroid · paleovirus · mimivirus · virokine · brain virus · protovirus · viral · becurtovirus · carcinovirus · Omicron virus · phytovirus · helpervirus · poliovirus · provirus · bacteriovirus · hepatitis D virus · alpharetrovirus · virusless · hepatitis B virus · parvovirus · mind virus · microvirus · ultravirus · bidnavirus · pseudovirus · virion · lymphocryptovirus · nonvirus · hungarovirus · viriome · poxvirus · enterovirus · cardiovirus · Four Corners virus · hepatitis G virus · woke mind virus · virosis · AIDS virus · badnavirus · Muerto Canyon virus · entomovirus · countervirus · viruslike · cytomegalovirus · virusproof · phycovirus · megavirus · polyomavirus · influenzavirus · hepatitis E virus · curtovirus · virome · hepatitis A virus · subvirus · omicron virus · virussy · hepatitis C virus · spiravirus · parainfluenzavirus · adenovirus · virus-proof · coxsackievirus · Choclo virus · virusoid · trichovirus · Ebola virus disease · myxovirus · pneumovirus · supervirus · tetravirus · ribodeoxyvirus · neurovirus · mycovirus · halovirus · birnavirus · sigmavirus · viricide · hypovirus · antiviral · paramyxovirus
Descendants
virus · ވައިރަސް · ವೈರಸ್ · ไวรัส · vajrus · ໄວຣັສ · ቫይረስ · feirws · virus · ဗိုင်းရပ်စ် · バイラス · వైరస్ · വൈറസ് · 바이러스 · වෛරස · ভাইরাস · وائرس
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
adenovirus · Rous sarcoma virus (Virology) · Schmallenberg virus (Virology) · RNA virus (Virology) · cucumber mosaic virus (Virology) · rat virus (Virology) · cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (Virology) · cloudy wing virus (Virology) · hypovirus · simian immunodeficiency virus (Virology) · Lassa virus (Virology) · adeno-associated virus (Virology) · herpesvirus · Hosta virus X (Virology) · black queen cell virus (Virology) · Reston virus (Virology) · phage · Bundibugyo virus (Virology) · corona virus (Virology) · corona-virus (Virology) · West Nile virus (Virology) · rhabdovirus · walleye epidermal hyperplasia virus (Virology) · alphahypovirus · Nipah virus (Virology) · passenger virus (Virology) · retrovirus · Jamestown Canyon virus (Virology) · tulip-breaking virus (Virology) · human immunodeficiency virus 1 (Virology) · Sendai virus (Virology) · Chronic bee paralysis virus (Virology) · HIV virus (Virology) · Dobrava-Belgrade virus (Virology) · varicosavirus · Marburg virus disease (Virology) · canine distemper virus (Virology) · giant virus (Virology) · CCP virus (Virology) · B virus (Virology) · cytomegalovirus · filovirus · GB virus C (Virology) · DNA virus (Virology) · chuvirus · rhinovirus (Virology) · macro virus (Virology) · Kakugo virus (Virology) · bacteriophage · Bourbon virus (Virology) · Grampus griseus endogenous virus (Virology) · Qalyub virus (Virology) · China virus (Virology) · Norwalk virus (Virology) · enterovirus · Wuhan virus (Virology) · cowpox virus (Virology) · Shope papilloma virus (Virology) · Machupo virus (Virology) · plum pox virus (Virology) · picornavirus · Neethling virus (Virology) · human immunodeficiency virus (Virology) · Bunyamwera virus · coronavirus (Virology) · hepatitis delta virus (Virology) · helper virus (Virology) · mosaic virus (Virology) · BK virus (Virology) · respiratory syncytial virus (Virology) · cachavirus · varicella zoster virus (Virology) · idea virus (Virology) · Epstein-Barr virus (Virology) · Tulane virus (Virology) · Junin virus (Virology) · camelpox virus (Virology) · Chinese virus (Virology) · JC virus (Virology) · African swine fever virus (Virology) · Zika virus (Virology) · antivirus (Computing) · cryptovirus (Computing) · human immunodeficiency virus 2 (Virology) · Ebola virus (Virology) · virophage · sugarcane mosaic virus (Virology) · Marburg virus (Virology) · rotavirus · deformed wing virus (Virology) · crown virus (Virology) · potato virus X (Virology) · herpes simplex virus (Virology) · Ross River virus (Virology) · Kunjin virus (Virology) · chronic bee paralysis virus (Virology)
Relateds
Synonyms
Translations (247)
qu añaw (infectious organism) · alt вирус (computer virus) · mn вирус (infectious organism) · ur حُمَہ (infectious organism) · ur وائِرَس (infectious organism) · hu számítógépvírus (computer virus) · pa ਵਿਸ਼ਾਣੂ (infectious organism) · yi איבערגאַנג (disease) · mr व्हायरस (infectious organism) · pl wirus (computer virus) · sw virusi (infectious organism) · cs virus (computer virus) · uz kompyuter virusi (computer virus) · uk комп'ю́терний ві́рус (computer virus) · hi विषाणु (infectious organism) · th เชื้อ (infectious organism) · oc virus (infectious organism) · hi वाइरस (computer virus) · lv vīruss (infectious organism) · ja コンピューターウイルス (computer virus) · la vīrus (infectious organism) · zh 病毒 (computer virus) · sl računalniški virus (computer virus) · new विषाणु (infectious organism) · sh vírus (infectious organism) · nn datavirus (computer virus) · sh компјутерски вирус (computer virus) · sh ви́рус (infectious organism) · ky компьютердик вирус (computer virus) · cy feirws (disease) · nb virus (infectious organism) · alt вирус (infectious organism) · ko 바이러스 (infectious organism) · vi siêu vi (computer virus) · fo virus (infectious organism) · tr virüs (computer virus) · mn ᠸᠢᠷᠦ᠋ᠰ (infectious organism) · fi virus (disease) · tl birus (infectious organism) · kk вирус (infectious organism) · zh 電腦病毒 /电脑病毒 (computer virus) · ms virus komputer (computer virus) · cy feirws (computer virus) · sv virus (infectious organism) · uk ві́рус (infectious organism) · fo virus (computer virus) · hi वाइरस (infectious organism) · vo virud (infectious organism) · vi siêu vi khuẩn (infectious organism) · wuu 病毒 (infectious organism) · si වෛරස (infectious organism) · ta தீ நுண்மம் (infectious organism) · mi ngārara rorohiko (computer virus) · fr virus (computer virus) · ast virus (infectious organism) · ru компью́терный ви́рус (computer virus) · mi huaketo (infectious organism) · uz virus (infectious organism) · km មេរោគ (infectious organism) · my ကွန်ပျူတာ ဗိုင်းရပ်စ် (computer virus) · hak 病毒 (infectious organism) · tr bilgisayar virüsü (computer virus) · vi vi-rút (computer virus) · cy feirws (infectious organism) · li virus (infectious organism) · de Virus (infectious organism) · fi tietokonevirus (computer virus) · he וִירוּס מַחְשֵׁב (computer virus) · sq virus (infectious organism) · my ရောဂါပိုးမွှား (infectious organism) · tl birus ng kompyuter (computer virus) · fi virus (computer virus) · cy firws (infectious organism) · cdo 病毒 (infectious organism) · ar فَيْرُوس (computer virus) · qu ch'iñi khuru (infectious organism) · gl virus (infectious organism) · ko 병독 (infectious organism) · sh рачунарски вирус (computer virus) · sk vírus (infectious organism) · he נְגִיף (infectious organism) · hy համակարգչային վիրուս (computer virus) · vi siêu vi (infectious organism) · ca virus (computer virus) · tl birus (computer virus) · ar فَيْرُوس (infectious organism) · de virus (infectious organism) · tg вируси роёнаӣ (computer virus) · pt vírus (infectious organism) · si පරිගණක වෛරස (computer virus) · az virus (computer virus) · mr विषाणू (infectious organism) · cs počítačový virus (computer virus) · ru ви́рус (infectious organism) · ja ウイルス (infectious organism) · ar حُمَة (infectious organism) · ml വൈറസ് (infectious organism) · sl virus (computer virus) · kw virus (computer virus) · tt вирус (infectious organism) · ms virus (infectious organism) · he וִירוּס (computer virus) · kk вирус (computer virus) · lo ໄວຣັສ (infectious organism) · kn ವೈರಸ್ (infectious organism) · sk vírus (computer virus) · el ιός (infectious organism) · id virus (infectious organism) · ug ۋىرۇس (infectious organism) · li virus (computer virus) · de Computervirus (computer virus) · ar فَيْروس (infectious organism) · ko 컴퓨터 바이러스 (computer virus) · ti ቫይረስ (infectious organism) · yi ווירוס (infectious organism) · ja バイラス (infectious organism) · ne विषाणु (infectious organism) · ka კომპიუტერული ვირუსი (computer virus) · sv datavirus (computer virus) · fa ویش (infectious organism) · be кампу́тарны ві́рус (computer virus) · ar فِيرُوس (computer virus) · nl computervirus (computer virus) · cs virus (infectious organism) · am ቫይረስ (infectious organism) · vi vi trùng (infectious organism) · de Virus (computer virus) · vi tinh độc (infectious organism) · ar فِيرُوس (infectious organism) · is tölvuveira (computer virus) · zh 病毒 (infectious organism) · uk ві́рус (computer virus) · pt vírus (computer virus) · ru ви́рус (computer virus) · is veira (computer virus) · mk вирус (computer virus) · el ιός (computer virus) · it virus (infectious organism) · th ไวรัสคอมพิวเตอร์ (computer virus) · cy firws (disease) · ro virus (computer virus) · az virus proqramları (computer virus) · bg компю́търен ви́рус (computer virus) · yue 病毒 (infectious organism) · ky вирус (infectious organism) · ja ビールス (infectious organism) · th ไวรัส (infectious organism) · bg ви́рус (infectious organism) · km វីសាណូ (infectious organism) · lo ເຊື້ອ (infectious organism) · gu વિષાણુ (infectious organism) · pl wirus komputerowy (computer virus) · he וִירוּס (infectious organism) · km វីរុស (infectious organism) · ko 비루스 (infectious organism) · nn virus (infectious organism) · lo ໄວລັສ (infectious organism) · nb datavirus (computer virus) · id pathik (infectious organism) · cy firws (computer virus) · tg вирус (infectious organism) · as ভাইৰাছ (infectious organism) · ro virus (infectious organism) · tg вирус (computer virus) · da virus (infectious organism) · ky вирус (computer virus) · fr virus informatique (computer virus) · fy firus (infectious organism) · pa ਕੰਪਿਊਟਰ ਵਾਇਰਸ (computer virus) · mi wheori (computer virus) · sv datorvirus (computer virus) · ar ڤِيرُوس (infectious organism) · tk wirus (infectious organism) · ja ウィルス (infectious organism) · nl virus (infectious organism) · my ဗိုင်းရပ်စ် (infectious organism) · alt југуш ооруныҥ кӧскӧ кӧрӱнбес микроб (infectious organism) · lt virusas (infectious organism) · kw virus (infectious organism) · sk počítačový vírus (computer virus) · ka ვირუსი (disease) · hy վիրուս (computer virus) · ka ვირუსი (infectious organism) · bo ནད་དུག (infectious organism) · mi wheori (infectious organism) · ms virus (disease) · af virus (infectious organism) · hu vírus (infectious organism) · ka ვირუსი (computer virus) · pt vírus de computador (computer virus) · nl virus (computer virus) · dv ވައިރަސް (infectious organism) · sh рачунални вирус (computer virus) · mk сметачки вирус (computer virus) · es virus (infectious organism) · fo telduvirus (computer virus) · is veira (infectious organism) · vi siêu vi trùng (infectious organism) · km មេរោគកុំព្យូទ័រ (computer virus) · eu birus (infectious organism) · eo viruso (infectious organism) · ga víreas (infectious organism) · zh 病毒 (infectious organism) · af rekenaarvirus (computer virus) · pl wirus (infectious organism) · uz virus (computer virus) · tl salot (computer virus) · vi vi rút (infectious organism) · az virus (infectious organism) · bn ভাইরাস (infectious organism) · ja 病毒 (infectious organism) · te వైరస్ (infectious organism) · fi virustauti (disease) · lad virus (infectious organism) · nb virus (computer virus) · km វីរុស (computer virus) · my ဗိုင်းရပ်စ် (computer virus) · be ві́рус (computer virus) · et arvutiviirus (computer virus) · fi virus (infectious organism) · bg ви́рус (computer virus) · fa ویروسِ رایانِهای (computer virus) · tr virüs (infectious organism) · fa ویروس (computer virus) · gl virus (computer virus) · be ві́рус (infectious organism) · frr Wiirus (infectious organism) · mk вирус (infectious organism) · nn virus (computer virus) · th ไวรัส (computer virus) · he מַגֵּפָה (disease) · sl virus (infectious organism) · kk компьютерлік вирус (computer virus) · ne भाइरस (infectious organism) · et viirus (infectious organism) · tl haykap (infectious organism) · or ଭୂତାଣୁ (infectious organism) · ca virus (infectious organism) · sv virus (computer virus) · es virus (computer virus) · hy վիրուս (infectious organism) · fr virus (infectious organism) · ps ويروس (infectious organism) · hu számítógépes vírus (computer virus) · mt vajrus (infectious organism) · fa ویروس (infectious organism) · kmr vîrûs (infectious organism)