germ

Latin

Variants

germ

Related Roots

About This Root

From Latin germen (sprout, bud, seed, embryo). Dual meaning in English: the biological "seed" sense gives germinate (to sprout) and germination; the medical "microorganism" sense gives germ (a disease-causing agent) and germicide (germ-killer). The semantic shift from "life-giving seed" to "disease agent" reflects the discovery that invisible organisms cause illness.

Associated Words

germ

A pathogenic microorganism; the earliest stage of an organism; the origin of an idea

IELTSTOEFLGRE

germicide

A substance that kills pathogenic microorganisms; a disinfectant

GREC2

germinate

Of a seed, to begin to sprout and grow

TOEFLGREC2