germ

noun
/d͡ʒɜːm/UK/d͡ʒɝm/US

Etymology

From Middle French germe, from Latin germen (“bud, seed, embryo”). Doublet of germen.

  1. derived from germen
  2. borrowed from germe

Definitions

  1. The small mass of cells from which a new organism develops

    The small mass of cells from which a new organism develops; a seed, bud, spore, or zygote.

  2. A pathogen

    A pathogen: a pathogenic microorganism, such as a bacterium or virus.

    • 'This again,' said the Bacteriologist, slipping a glass slide under the microscope, 'is a preparation of the celebrated Bacillus of cholera - the cholera germ.'
  3. The origin or earliest version of an idea or project.

    • the germ of civil liberty
    • Now all his ponderings, however excursive, wheeled round Isabel as their center; and back to her they came again from every excursion; and again derived some new, small germs for wonderment.
    • What greatness had not floated on the ebb of that river into the mystery of an unknown earth? - the dreams of men, the seed of commonwealths, the germs of empires.
  4. + 4 more definitions
    1. An equivalence class that includes a specified function defined in an open neighborhood.

    2. To germinate.

      • Thus tempted, the lust to avenge me / Germed inly and grew.
    3. To grow, as if parasitic.

      • I’m addicted, want to germ inside your love
    4. a German person.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for germ. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA