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pathogen
noun
path·o·gen
ˈpa-thə-jən
: a specific causative agent (such as a bacterium or virus) of disease
Examples of pathogen in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Black Sheep 2 will follow a young scientist who is convinced that a dangerous new pathogen threatens the population and tracks it back to her hometown – which is located in the shadow of the remote sheep station where the macabre events of the original Black Sheep unfolded.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2024
Avoid close contact: If someone near you is coughing or sneezing, try to politely distance yourself, or turn your air vent to create airflow that directs pathogens away from your body or face.
—Judy Koutsky, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024
Flower blight or petal blight is also caused by a fungal pathogen.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2024
Soil solarization can kill many plant pathogens, including some types of blight and wilt.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pathogen
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Word History
Etymology
patho- + -gen, after pathogenic, pathogenesis
First Known Use
1880, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near pathogen
Cite this Entry
“Pathogen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pathogen. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
pathogen
noun
patho·gen
ˈpath-ə-jən
: a germ (as a bacterium or virus) that causes disease
Medical Definition
pathogen
noun
patho·gen
ˈpath-ə-jən
: a specific causative agent (as a bacterium or virus) of disease
More from Merriam-Webster on pathogen
Britannica English: Translation of pathogen for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pathogen
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