| / English Dictionary |
GERM
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
A minute life form (especially a disease-causing bacterium); the term is not in technical use
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Hypernyms ("germ" is a kind of...):
micro-organism; microorganism (any organism of microscopic size)
Derivation:
germy (full of germs or pathological microorganisms)
Sense 2
Meaning:
A small apparently simple structure (as a fertilized egg) from which new tissue can develop into a complete organism
Classified under:
Hypernyms ("germ" is a kind of...):
anatomical structure; bodily structure; body structure; complex body part; structure (a particular complex anatomical part of a living thing and its construction and arrangement)
Derivation:
germinate (produce buds, branches, or germinate)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Anything that provides inspiration for later work
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents
Hypernyms ("germ" is a kind of...):
inspiration (arousal of the mind to special unusual activity or creativity)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "germ"):
taproot (something that provides an important central source for growth or development)
muse (the source of an artist's inspiration)
Derivation:
germinal (containing seeds of later development)
germinate (work out)
Context examples:
These germs are often found in nature.
(Biodefense and Bioterrorism, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
This gene is involved in maintaining germ cell lineages.
(NANOS3 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)
A malignant germ cell tumor arising from the central nervous system.
(Central Nervous System Germinoma, NCI Thesaurus/Adapted from WHO)
A malignant germ cell tumor of the central nervous system characterized by the presence of at least two types of germ cell neoplasia.
(Central Nervous System Mixed Germ Cell Tumor, NCI Thesaurus)
The middle germ layer of the embryo.
(Murine Mesoderm, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)
A germ cell tumor of the central nervous system occurring in children.
(Childhood Central Nervous System Germ Cell Tumor, NCI Thesaurus)
Mycobacteria are a type of germ.
(Mycobacterial Infections, NIH)
Non-pathologic expression of these proteins is restricted to male germ cells.
(Cancer/Testis Antigen, NCI Thesaurus)
This protein is involved in maintaining germ cells in an undifferentiated state.
(Nanos Homolog 3, NCI Thesaurus)
A malignant germ cell tumor of the central nervous system characterized by extra-embryonic differentiation along trophoblastic lines.
(Central Nervous System Choriocarcinoma, NCI Thesaurus/WHO)
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