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vi·ri·on 'vī-rē-.än, 'vir-ē- n a complete virus particle that consists of an RNA or DNA core with a protein coat sometimes with external envelopes and that is the extracellular infective form of a virus
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vi·ri·on (viґre-on) the complete viral particle, found extracellularly and capable of surviving in crystalline form and infecting a living cell; it comprises the nucleoid (genetic material) and the capsid. Called also viral particle.Medical dictionary. 2011.