The Collaborative International Dictionary
Germ \Germ\ (j[~e]rm), n. [F. germe, fr. L. germen, germinis, sprout, but, germ. Cf. Germen, Germane.]
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(Biol.) That which is to develop a new individual; as, the germ of a fetus, of a plant or flower, and the like; the earliest form under which an organism appears.
In the entire process in which a new being originates . . . two distinct classes of action participate; namely, the act of generation by which the germ is produced; and the act of development, by which that germ is evolved into the complete organism.
--Carpenter. That from which anything springs; origin; first principle; as, the germ of civil liberty.
(Biol.) The germ cells, collectively, as distinguished from the somatic cells, or soma. Germ is often used in place of germinal to form phrases; as, germ area, germ disc, germ membrane, germ nucleus, germ sac, etc.
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A microorganism, especially a disease-causing bacterium or virus; -- used informally, as, the don't eat food that falls on the floor, it may have germs on it.
Disease germ (Biol.), a name applied to certain tiny bacterial organisms or their spores, such as Anthrax bacillus and the Micrococcus of fowl cholera, which have been demonstrated to be the cause of certain diseases; same as germ[4]. See Germ theory (below).
Germ cell (Biol.), the germ, egg, spore, or cell from which the plant or animal arises. At one time a part of the body of the parent, it finally becomes detached, and by a process of multiplication and growth gives rise to a mass of cells, which ultimately form a new individual like the parent. See Ovum.
Germ gland. (Anat.) See Gonad.
Germ stock (Zo["o]l.), a special process on which buds are developed in certain animals. See Doliolum.
Germ theory (Biol.), the theory that living organisms can be produced only by the evolution or development of living germs or seeds. See Biogenesis, and Abiogenesis. As applied to the origin of disease, the theory claims that the zymotic diseases are due to the rapid development and multiplication of various bacteria, the germs or spores of which are either contained in the organism itself, or transferred through the air or water. See Fermentation theory.
Germ theory \Germ theory\
(Biol.) The theory that living organisms can be produced only by the development of living germs. Cf. Biogenesis, Abiogenesis.
(Med.) The theory which attributes contagious and infectious diseases, suppurative lesions, etc., to the agency of germs, i.e. pathogenic microorganisms. The science of bacteriology was developed after this theory had been established.
WordNet
n. (medicine) the theory that all contagious diseases are caused by microorganisms
Usage examples of "germ theory".
Yet, all this time, he'd been letting contempt fall freely on all those in the past who had died proclaiming the truth of the germ theory and scoffing at vampires.
They are already armed with much knowledge: of the scientific method, the germ theory, statistics, epidemiology and even the nature of the enemies they are fighting.
The germ theory of disease, public health measures, medicines and medical technology.
How on earth, on all the Earths, could he explain the germ theory of disease?
This predates the general acceptance of the germ theory of disease.
The real beauty of Snow's work was that he did it before the germ theory of disease was accepted.
They are also the grandfathers of the germ theory of disease, and therefore of much of modern medicine.
So, after Father had been in practice for many years, he went back to school at Northwestern University in 1893 to learn the latest knowledge about germ theory and asepsis and such things.
I don't know much, but I can teach the germ theory of disease, and antiseptic practices, and get some of the acolytes interested in anatomy and dissection.
Julian was thinking of the implausibility of stone- age humans with hyposprays and medical scanners but without even the germ theory of disease.
Julian was thinking of the implausibility of stoneage humans with hyposprays and medical scanners but without even the germ theory of disease.
Thus, in 1546, Girolamo Fracastoro proposed a germ theory of disease.
But they'd concentrated so on the inorganic sciences, and so far neglected the bio-sciences, that when they launched their first ship for Venus they hadn't yet developed a germ theory of disease.
Harshaw recalled that his grandfather had told him of much the same thing happening in the field of medicine when the germ theory came along.