virulent

/virroolnt, virryoo-/

  • adjective 1 (of a disease or poison) extremely severe or harmful in its effects. 2 (of a pathogen, especially a virus) highly infective. 3 bitterly hostile.

  — DERIVATIVES virulence noun virulently adverb.

  — ORIGIN originally describing a poisoned wound: from Latin virulentus, from virus (see VIRUS).

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