plural germs
1
a
: a small mass of living substance capable of developing into an organism or one of its parts
b
: the embryo with the scutellum of a cereal grain that is usually separated from the starchy endosperm during milling
3
: a microorganism causing disease : a pathogenic agent (such as a bacterium or virus)
broadly
: microorganism
Examples of germ in a Sentence
the germ that causes tuberculosis
the germ of an idea
the germ layers of an embryo
Recent Examples on the Web
Sanitizing, on the other hand, actually brings down the number of germs on your household surfaces to a level that is deemed safe by public health requirements or standards, which further lowers the chance of spreading infection.
—
Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 May 2024
Having blood or other biological material on an instrument isn’t a good sign, but what matters most is whether the germs survived the cleaning process, Safdar said.
—Meg Wingerter, The Denver Post, 19 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for germ 
Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 May 2024
Having blood or other biological material on an instrument isn’t a good sign, but what matters most is whether the germs survived the cleaning process, Safdar said.
—Meg Wingerter, The Denver Post, 19 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for germ
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'germ.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near germ
Cite this Entry
“Germ.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/germ. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
germ
noun1
a
: a small mass of living substance capable of developing into a whole individual or one of its parts
b
: the embryo in the seed of a cereal (as corn or wheat) together with its cotyledon that is usually separated from the starchy part of the seed during milling
2
: something that serves as an origin
the germ of an idea
3
: a microscopic living thing
especially
: one that causes disease
Medical Definition
germ
noun1
: a small mass of living substance capable of developing into an organism or one of its parts
2
: a microorganism causing disease : a pathogenic agent (as a bacterium or virus)
broadly
: microorganism
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