germ

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A very small living thing that can cause disease, such as a bacterium or virus.

   Wash your hands to avoid spreading germs.

2. 2
   noun

   The first small beginning of an idea or plan.

   A casual chat contained the germ of their business idea.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Germ came through Old French from Latin germen, “seed” or “sprout.” It first meant a part of an organism capable of developing into a new organism or structure. In the late 19th century, the figurative idea of the “seed” of a disease produced the sense “microorganism.”

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

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External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary