pathogen

[ path-uh-juhn, ‐jen ]
See synonyms for: pathogenpathogens on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. any disease-producing agent, especially a virus, bacterium, or other microorganism.

Origin of pathogen

1
First recorded in 1940–45; patho- + -gen

Other words from pathogen

  • an·ti·path·o·gen, noun

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How to use pathogen in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for pathogen

pathogen

pathogene (ˈpæθəˌdʒiːn)

/ (ˈpæθəˌdʒɛn) /


noun
  1. any agent that can cause disease

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for pathogen

pathogen

[ păthə-jən ]


  1. An agent that causes infection or disease, especially a microorganism, such as a bacterium or protozoan, or a virus. See Note at germ.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for pathogen

pathogen

[ (path-uh-juhn) ]


A disease-causing agent. Microorganisms, viruses, and toxins are examples of pathogens.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.