Germ
/dʒɜːrm/noun
A microorganism, especially one that causes disease.
Did you know?The term 'germ' originally referred to the seed or bud of a plant, linking it to growth and new life, before becoming associated with disease.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ǵʰer-
“to grasp, enclose, or to sprout.”
Latin
Latin
germen
“sprout, bud, or germ.”
Old French
Old French
germe
“seed, bud, or sprout.”
Middle English
Middle English
germ
“a seed or bud, especially in a biological context.”
Modern English
English
germ
“a microscopic organism, often pathogenic.”