Germ

//d͡ʒɜːm// noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The small mass of cells from which a new organism develops; a seed, bud, spore, or zygote.; The embryo of a seed, especially of a seed used as a cereal or grain. See Wikipedia article on cereal germ.
  2. 2
    a German person. UK, derogatory, slang
  3. 3
    a minute life form (especially a disease-causing bacterium); the term is not in technical use wordnet
  4. 4
    The small mass of cells from which a new organism develops; a seed, bud, spore, or zygote.; The small mass of cells from which a part of an organism develops, or a macroscopic but immature form of that part; a bud.

    "surgical removal of germs of wisdom teeth"

  5. 5
    a small apparently simple structure (as a fertilized egg) from which new tissue can develop into a complete organism wordnet
Show 4 more definitions
  1. 6
    A pathogen: a pathogenic microorganism, such as a bacterium or virus.

    "'This again,' said the Bacteriologist, slipping a glass slide under the microscope, 'is a preparation of the celebrated Bacillus of cholera - the cholera germ.'"

  2. 7
    anything that provides inspiration for later work wordnet
  3. 8
    The origin or earliest version of an idea or project. figuratively

    "the germ of civil liberty"

  4. 9
    An equivalence class that includes a specified function defined in an open neighborhood.
Verb
  1. 1
    To germinate.

    "Thus tempted, the lust to avenge me / Germed inly and grew."

  2. 2
    To grow, as if parasitic. slang

    "I’m addicted, want to germ inside your love"

Etymology

Etymology 1

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

Etymology 2

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

Etymology 3

Clipping of German, from the phonetic similarity to germ.

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