germ

/dʤə:m/
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germ

A child washes their hands with soap to get rid of germs.

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • A microorganism, especially one that causes disease: A very small living thing, particularly a bacterium or virus, that can cause illness. This is a general, non-technical term.
    • A small structure from which a new organism can develop: The earliest stage of development for a plant or animal, such as a seed or fertilized egg.
    • The origin or beginning of something that can grow: Anything that serves as the starting point or inspiration for later, more significant development.
Examples of Usage
  • As a microorganism:
    • Wash your hands to kill germs and prevent illness.
    • The doctor said a germ was causing the infection.
  • As a beginning stage of life:
    • The germ of the wheat plant is contained within the seed.
  • As the origin of an idea:
    • The brief conversation contained the germ of a brilliant plan.
    • That simple sketch was the germ of his later masterpiece.
Advanced Usage
  • "in germ": In an undeveloped or initial state.
    • The idea for the novel existed in germ for many years before he started writing.
  • "germ theory": The scientific theory that many diseases are caused by microorganisms.
    • The discovery of germs led to the widespread acceptance of germ theory.
Variants and Related Words
  • Germinal (adj): Relating to or in the earliest stage of development.
    • The meeting was germinal for the entire project.
  • Germicide (n): A substance that kills germs.
    • Hospitals use strong germicides to clean surfaces.
Synonyms
  • Microbe: A very small living organism, especially one that causes disease.
  • Seed: The beginning of something; the origin.
  • Embryo: An early stage of development of a multicellular organism.
Related Phrases
  • Germ cell: A biological cell that gives rise to the gametes (sperm or egg) of an organism.
  • Germ layer: A primary layer of cells in an embryo that develops into specific tissues and organs.
  • Germ warfare: The use of harmful microorganisms as weapons in war. (Note: This is a compound term listed here as a related phrase, not as a direct example of the standalone word "germ").
germ

A child washes their hands with soap to get rid of germs.

Noun
  1. a minute life form (especially a disease-causing bacterium); the term is not in technical use
  2. a small apparently simple structure (as a fertilized egg) from which new tissue can develop into a complete organism
  3. anything that provides inspiration for later work

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