virus
pronunciation
How to pronounce virus in British English:
UK [ˈvaɪrəs]
How to pronounce virus in American English:
US [ˈvaɪrəs]
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- Noun:
- (virology) 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
- a harmful or corrupting agency
- a software program capable of reproducing itself and usually capable of causing great harm to files or other programs on the same computer
Word Origin
- virus (n.)
- late 14c., "venomous substance," from Latin virus "poison, sap of plants, slimy liquid, a potent juice," probably from PIE root *weis- "to melt away, to flow," used of foul or malodorous fluids, with specialization in some languages to "poisonous fluid" (cognates: Sanskrit visam "poison," visah "poisonous;" Avestan vish- "poison;" Latin viscum "sticky substance, birdlime;" Greek ios "poison," ixos "mistletoe, birdlime;" Old Church Slavonic višnja "cherry;" Old Irish fi "poison;" Welsh gwy "fluid, water," gwyar "blood"). Main modern meaning "agent that causes infectious disease" first recorded 1728 (in reference to venereal disease). The computer sense is from 1972.
Example
- 1. This means scientists cannot monitor the virus 's evolution .
- 2. Then , with their typical generosity , they give the virus to humans .
- 3. To some extent , virus infections already exhibit processes similar to genetic algorithms .
- 4. Later virus and malaria will be added .
- 5. And the virus might spread globally .