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germ

germ

 
pronunciation:
juhrm
features:
Word Combinations (noun), Word Explorer
part of speech: noun
definition 1: a microscopic organism, esp. a bacterium or virus that causes illness; pathogen.
synonyms:
bug, microbe, microorganism, pathogen
similar words:
bacillus, bacterium, virus
definition 2: a rudimentary biological part, such as a bud, seed, or embryo, that gives rise to further growth or development.
synonyms:
bud, embryo, offshoot, seed, spore, sprout
similar words:
rudiment
definition 3: anything rudimentary that is capable of growth or development.
the germ of an idea
synonyms:
beginning, birth, commencement, creation, dawn, embryo, inception, origin, rise, seed, start
similar words:
opening, outset, root
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  bacteria, disease, hygiene, seed, virus