germ

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

germ /dʒɜrm/   n. [countable]

1. Microbiology a living thing small enough to be visible only through a microscope, esp. such a living thing that produces disease;
   microbe.
2. a source of development;
   origin;
   seed:
   the germ of an idea.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

germ  ( jûrm), n. 

1. Microbiology a microorganism, esp. when disease-producing;
   microbe.
2. Botany a bud, offshoot, or seed.
3. Developmental Biology the rudiment of a living organism;
   an embryo in its early stages.
4. Developmental Biology the initial stage in development or evolution, as a germ cell or ancestral form.
5. something that serves as a source or initial stage for subsequent development:
   the germ of an idea.

adj. 

6. Pathology of, pertaining to, or caused by disease-producing germs.

• Latin germen shoot, sprout, by dissimilation from *genmen, equivalent. to gen- (see genitor, genus) + -men resultative noun, nominal suffix)
• Middle French germe
• late Middle English 1400–50

germ′less, adj. 
germ′like′, adj. 
Synonyms

• 4. spark, root, bud, rudiment, seed.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

germ / dʒɜːm/ noun

1. a microorganism, esp one that produces disease in animals or plants
2. (often plural) the rudimentary or initial form of something: the germs of revolution
3. a simple structure, such as a fertilized egg, that is capable of developing into a complete organism

Etymology: 17th Century: from French germe, from Latin germen sprig, bud, sprout, seed