Akademik

germ´like´

germ «jurm», noun, adjective.

–n.

1. a microscopic animal, plant, or other organism, especially one that causes disease; microbe: »the germ of scarlet fever.
There are many kinds of germs, including bacteria, viruses, and protozoa.

2. the earliest form of a living thing; early embryo; seed, bud, or spore.

3. = germ cell (Cf. ↑germ cell); gamete. (Cf. ↑gamete)

4. Figurative. the beginning of anything; origin: »Counting is the germ of arithmetic.

–adj.

1. of or caused by disease germs.

2. Figurative. of or having to do with very early stages of development.

╂[< Old French germe < Latin germen, -inis sprout, bud]

–germ´like´, adjective.

Useful english dictionary. 2012.