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Germ

/d͡ʒɜːm/

The small mass of cells from which a new organism develops; a seed, bud or spore.

Full Dictionary Entry

📖 Definitions of "Germ"

noun

1
The small mass of cells from which a new organism develops; a seed, bud or spore.
2
A pathogenic microorganism.
3
The embryo of a seed, especially of a seed used as a cereal or grain. See Wikipedia article on cereal germ.
4
The origin of an idea or project.
"the germ of civil liberty"

verb

1
To germinate.
2
To grow, as if parasitic.

🔄 Synonyms of "Germ"

4 synonyms found via WordNet and Google Books.

Word	Definition
sourcenoun	The person, place, or thing from which something (information, goods, etc.) comes or is acquired.
bugnoun	(entomology) An insect of the order Hemiptera (the “true bugs”).
seednoun	(countable, agriculture) Any propagative portion of a plant which may be sown, such as true seeds, seed-like fruits, tubers, or bulbs.
microbenoun	(microbiology) Any microorganism; (loosely, nonscientifically) especially, a harmful bacterium.

💡 Words with a Similar Meaning to "Germ"

Found via reverse dictionary — words that share a conceptual meaning.

Word	Definition
seednoun	(countable, agriculture) Any propagative portion of a plant which may be sown, such as true seeds, seed-like fruits, tubers, or bulbs.
microbenoun	(microbiology) Any microorganism; (loosely, nonscientifically) especially, a harmful bacterium.
bugnoun	(entomology) An insect of the order Hemiptera (the “true bugs”).
sourcenoun	The person, place, or thing from which something (information, goods, etc.) comes or is acquired.
sproutnoun	A new growth of or on a plant, whether from seed or other parts.
germinationnoun	The process of germinating; the beginning of vegetation or growth from a seed or spore; the first development of germs, either animal or vegetable.
germinalnoun	(historical) The seventh month of the French Republican Calendar, starting on the date of the vernal equinox (March 21 or 22) and ending on April 19 or 20.
sporenoun	A reproductive particle, usually a single cell, released by a fungus, alga, or plant that may germinate into another.
microbialnoun	A microbe or bacterium.
microorganismnoun	(microbiology) An organism that is too small to be seen by the unaided eye; especially, a single-celled organism, such as a bacterium.
bacteriumnoun	(microbiology) A single-celled organism with cell walls but no nucleus or organelles.
bacterial	(microbiology) Of, relating to, or caused by bacteria.
bacterianoun	(US) A type, species, or strain of bacterium.
bacteriological	Of or pertaining to bacteriology.
organismnoun	(biology) A discrete and complete living thing, such as animal, plant, fungus or microorganism.
plasmnoun	A membrane or cell layer, especially one in an embryo that later develops into a structure; the constituent cells of such a layer.
germplasmnoun	Seeds or tissues maintained for the purpose of animal or plant breeding, preservation or other research uses.
breedingnoun	Propagation of offspring through sexual reproduction.
embryonoun	In the reproductive cycle, the stage after the fertilization of the egg that precedes the development into a fetus.
reproducingnoun	(nonstandard in the plural) reproduction