retrovirus
pronunciation
How to pronounce retrovirus in British English:
UK ['retrəʊvaɪrəs]
How to pronounce retrovirus in American English:
US ['retroʊvaɪrəs]
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- Noun:
- any of a group of viruses that contain two single-strand linear RNA molecules per virion and reverse transcriptase (RNA to DNA)
Word Origin
- retrovirus (n.)
- 1977, earlier retravirus (1974), from re(verse) tra(nscriptase) + virus. So called because it contains reverse transcriptase, an enzyme that uses RNA instead of DNA to encode genetic information, which reverses the usual pattern. Remodeled by influence of retro- "backwards."
Example
- 1. We gave you the retrovirus .
- 2. One test provided the crucial clue that the virus that caused aids was a retrovirus .
- 3. This whole retrovirus thing was a mistake .
- 4. When I developed this retrovirus for the wraith .
- 5. 1984 Retrovirus is discovered as cause of aids and later named human immunodeficiency virus or hiv .