germ´like´

germ´like´
germ «jurm», noun, adjective.
–n.
1. a microscopic animal, plant, or other organism, especially one that causes disease; microbe: »

the germ of scarlet fever.

There are many kinds of germs, including bacteria, viruses, and protozoa.
2. the earliest form of a living thing; early embryo; seed, bud, or spore.
3. = germ cell (Cf. ↑germ cell); gamete. (Cf. ↑gamete)
4. Figurative. the beginning of anything; origin: »

Counting is the germ of arithmetic.

–adj.
1. of or caused by disease germs.
2. Figurative. of or having to do with very early stages of development.
╂[< Old French germe < Latin germen, -inis sprout, bud]
–germ´like´, adjective.

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • germ — [[t]dʒɜrm[/t]] n. 1) mcr a microorganism, esp. when disease producing; microbe 2) bot a bud, offshoot, or seed 3) dvl the rudiment of a living organism; an embryo in its early stages 4) dvl the initial stage in development or evolution, as a germ …   From formal English to slang

  • Germ — (j[ e]rm), n. [F. germe, fr. L. germen, germinis, sprout, but, germ. Cf. {Germen}, {Germane}.] 1. (Biol.) That which is to develop a new individual; as, the germ of a fetus, of a plant or flower, and the like; the earliest form under which an… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Germ cell — Germ Germ (j[ e]rm), n. [F. germe, fr. L. germen, germinis, sprout, but, germ. Cf. {Germen}, {Germane}.] 1. (Biol.) That which is to develop a new individual; as, the germ of a fetus, of a plant or flower, and the like; the earliest form under… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Germ gland — Germ Germ (j[ e]rm), n. [F. germe, fr. L. germen, germinis, sprout, but, germ. Cf. {Germen}, {Germane}.] 1. (Biol.) That which is to develop a new individual; as, the germ of a fetus, of a plant or flower, and the like; the earliest form under… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Germ stock — Germ Germ (j[ e]rm), n. [F. germe, fr. L. germen, germinis, sprout, but, germ. Cf. {Germen}, {Germane}.] 1. (Biol.) That which is to develop a new individual; as, the germ of a fetus, of a plant or flower, and the like; the earliest form under… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Germ theory — Germ Germ (j[ e]rm), n. [F. germe, fr. L. germen, germinis, sprout, but, germ. Cf. {Germen}, {Germane}.] 1. (Biol.) That which is to develop a new individual; as, the germ of a fetus, of a plant or flower, and the like; the earliest form under… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Germ cell tumor — Classification and external resources Micrograph of a seminoma, a common germ cell tumor. ICD 10 C …   Wikipedia

  • germ — germ, microbe, bacterium, bacillus, virus, though not strict synonyms, are comparable because all denote organisms invisible to the naked eye, including organisms that are the causative agents of various diseases. Germ and microbe are the… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Germ layer — [ http://www.ncbi.nih.gov/About/primer/genetics cell.html NCBI] .] A germ layer is a collection of cells, formed during animal embryogenesis. Germ layers are particularly pronounced in the vertebrates; however, all animals more complex than… …   Wikipedia

  • Germ Warfare (M*A*S*H) — Infobox Television episode Title = Germ Warfare Series = M*A*S*H Caption = Season = 1 Episode = 11 Airdate = December 10, 1972 Production = J304 Writer = Larry Gelbart Director = Terry Becker Guests = Odessa Cleveland Patrick Adiarte Timothy… …   Wikipedia

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