virus means A submicroscopic, non-cellular structure that consists of a core of DNA or RNA surrounded by a protein coat, that requires a living host cell to replicate, and that sometimes causes disease in the host organism (such agents are often classed as nonliving infectious particles and less often as microorganisms). It carries an Arena rating of 1395, earned across 5 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, virus ranks #157 of 17,134 for Most Malleable Words, #162 of 17,131 for Scariest Words, #1,632 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #1,934 of 17,138 for Most Incisive Words.
virus is pronounced /ˈvaɪ.ɹəs/.
Why “virus” is a great word
A submicroscopic infectious agent that consists of genetic material (DNA or RNA) surrounded by a protein coat, requires a living host cell to replicate, and can cause disease. From Middle English virus, from Latin vīrus ("poison, slime, venom"), from Proto-Italic *weizos, from Proto-Indo-European *wisós ("fluidity, slime, poison"); the computing sense was first used in 1972 by David Gerrold. Unlike a bacterium, a single-celled organism capable of independent life, or a toxin, a static chemical poison, a virus exists in the liminal space between chemistry and life—a parasitic instruction set that hijacks the machinery of life to propagate. It is the frozen crystal of contagion on a winter doorknob, the invisible passenger traveling from handshake to handshake, the silent code that rewrites a cell's purpose into its own reproduction—a stark reminder that the most potent threats are often not confrontational beasts, but perfect, minimal scripts for corruption.
Etymology
From Middle English virus, from Latin vīrus (“poison, slime, venom”), via rhotacism from Proto-Italic *weizos, from Proto-Indo-European *wisós (“fluidity, slime, poison”). First use in the computer context by David Gerrold in his 1972 book When HARLIE Was One.
noun
- A submicroscopic, non-cellular structure that consists of a core of DNA or RNA surrounded by a protein coat, that requires a living host cell to replicate, and that sometimes causes disease in the host organism (such agents are often classed as nonliving infectious particles and less often as microorganisms).e.g.“Viruses are the smallest and most simplified forms of life.” — 2001, Leslie Iversen, Drugs: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford, page 64:
- A submicroscopic, non-cellular structure that consists of a core of DNA or RNA surrounded by a protein coat, that requires a living host cell to replicate, and that sometimes causes disease in the host organism (such agents are often classed as nonliving infectious particles and less often as microorganisms).; A species thereof.e.g.“Meronym: virion (individual particle)”
- A submicroscopic, non-cellular structure that consists of a core of DNA or RNA surrounded by a protein coat, that requires a living host cell to replicate, and that sometimes causes disease in the host organism (such agents are often classed as nonliving infectious particles and less often as microorganisms).; An individual particle thereof: synonym of virion.e.g.“Under electron microscopy, a few viruses were seen floating near the cells.”
- A quantity of such infectious agents, considered en masse.e.g.“Not much virus was detectable on a nucleic acid test; the viral load was very low.”
- A disease caused by such an infectious agent; a viral illness.e.g.“He's got a virus and had to stay home from school.”
- Venom, as produced by a poisonous animal etc.e.g.“Brazil, that inferno where every budding flower and every buzzing bluebottle fly bears a lascivious virus.” — 1890, Aluísio Azevedo, The Slum:
- A type of malware which can covertly transmit itself between computers via networks (especially the Internet) or removable storage such as disks, often causing damage to systems and data; also computer virus.e.g.“Wait a minute! Is this one of those virus emails?!” — 2004 November 15, Michael Chapman; Matthew Chapman, “Strong Bad Email #118: virus”, in Homestar Runner, spoken by Strong Bad (Matthew Chapman):
- Any type of malware.
- Any malicious or dangerous entity that spreads from one place or person to another.e.g.“I am tired of the mind viruses that are crippling people living in the western world — especially in my own nation. Sadly, Australia is becoming known as a nation of whingers.” — 2011, Pat Mesiti, The $1 Million Reason to Change Your Mind:
verb
- To send or infect an electronic device with a computer virus.e.g.“I'm just going to virus anyone who tries cheating on this game.”
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- virusoid 62% match — A circular single-stranded RNA, similar but not identical to a viroid, dependent on plant viruses for replication and encapsidation. vs virus →
- virino 61% match — 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. vs virus →
- virusless 60% match — Not having a virus or viruses. vs virus →
- viroid 58% match — Any of many short sections of RNA, but without the protein coat typical of viruses (the capsid), that are plant pathogens. vs virus →
- virivorous 55% match — Involving or sustained by the consumption of viruses. vs virus →
- deoxyvirus 55% match — Synonym of DNA virus. vs virus →
- virogene 54% match — A gene involved in the development of a virus. vs virus →
- nucleocapsid 53% match — The core structure of a virus, consisting of nucleic acid surrounded by a coat of protein vs virus →