Germ definition

jûrm
germs
See word origin
Frequency:
A microorganism, especially a pathogen.
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The earliest form of an organism; a seed, bud, or spore.
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Something that may serve as the basis of further growth or development.

The germ of a project.

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(biology) A small mass of protoplasm or cells from which a new organism or one of its parts may develop.
noun
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Any microscopic organism, esp. one of the bacteria, that can cause disease.
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(biology) A small mass of protoplasm or cells from which a new organism or one of its parts may develop.
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The earliest form of an organism; a seed, bud, or spore.
noun
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A microorganism, especially a pathogen.
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The rudimentary form from which a new organism is developed; seed; bud.
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That from which something can develop or grow; basis.

The germ of an idea.

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A microscopic organism or agent, especially one that is pathogenic, such as a bacterium or virus.
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(UK, derogatory) A German person.
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Abbreviation of German.
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Other Word Forms

Noun

Singular:
germ
Plural:
germs

Origin of germ

  • Middle English bud from Old French germe from Latin germen genə- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

Germ Sentence Examples

  • But this small village, germ of something more, why did it fail while Concord keeps its ground?

  • Here we have the germ of orders in the technical sense.

  • In the relation between Zoroaster and Vishtaspa already lies the germ of the state church which afterwards became completely subservient to the interests of the dynasty and sought its protection from it.

  • Louis Pasteur came along around this same time and proffered the germ theory of disease and a vaccine for rabies.

  • The tb germ is usually spread in the air.

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