virulent

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈvɪr.jə.lənt/ UK /ˈvɪr.jʊ.lənt/ See IPA manual

Freq #39059

Meanings

1

adj
able to cause severe disease; highly infectious or harmful

The researchers isolated a particularly virulent strain of the virus.
2

adj
extremely bitter, hostile, or hateful, especially in speech or writing

The proposal drew virulent criticism from several opposition newspapers.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · able to cause severe... pathogenic harmful deadly

2 adj · extremely bitter, hostile,... vitriolic venomous bitter

Opposites

avirulentbenign mild moderate

Word family

Forms virulencevirulency

Derived forms avirulenthypervirulentvirulently

Related forms virulenceviruspathogenvenom

Etymology

From Middle English virulent, borrowed from Latin virulentus, 'poisonous,' from virus, 'poison, venom, or noxious fluid,' plus -ulentus, 'full of.' The hostile-language sense developed by analogy with something poisonous or disease-causing.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# virulent

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈvɪr.jə.lənt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈvɪr.jʊ.lənt/
**Frequency rank:** 39059

## Meanings
1. able to cause severe disease; highly infectious or harmful
2. extremely bitter, hostile, or hateful, especially in speech or writing

## Examples
- The researchers isolated a particularly virulent strain of the virus.
- The proposal drew virulent criticism from several opposition newspapers.

## Synonyms
- pathogenic
- deadly
- vitriolic
- venomous
- bitter

## Antonyms
- avirulent
- benign
- mild
- moderate

## Derived Forms
- avirulent
- hypervirulent
- virulently

## Related Forms
- virulence
- virus
- pathogen
- venom

## Etymology
From Middle English virulent, borrowed from Latin virulentus, 'poisonous,' from virus, 'poison, venom, or noxious fluid,' plus -ulentus, 'full of.' The hostile-language sense developed by analogy with something poisonous or disease-causing.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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