noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1. 1
   A hypothetical infectious particle, consisting of nucleic acids in a protective coat of host cell proteins, once theorized to be the cause of scrapie and other degenerative diseases of the central nervous system.
2. 2
   (microbiology) a hypothetical infectious particle thought to be the cause of scrapie and other degenerative diseases of the central nervous system; consists of nucleic acid in a protective coat of host cell proteins wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms

virionvirus particle

Antonyms

All antonyms

empty particlehost cellnoninfectious particle