WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
ar•en•a•vi•rus
(är′en ā′vī′rəs),USA pronunciation n., pl. -rus•es.
- Microbiologyany of various RNA-containing viruses of the family Arenaviridae, usu. transmitted to humans by contact with excreta of infected rodents.
- Latin
(h)arēn(a) sand + -o- + virus; so called from the RNA granules seen in cross sections of the virion - earlier arenovirus (1970) 1971