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

Salmonella is the country's most common cause of food poisoning, while concerns about contamination with the pathogen are a relatively common reason for the initiation of food product recalls. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2024

Raw milk is not pasteurized and can can carry disease-causing pathogens such as listeria, campylobacter, salmonella, E. coli and bird flu virus. —Brenda Goodman, CNN, 6 Dec. 2024

Our food systems, heavily dominated by concentrated animal feeding operations, facilitate the spread of pathogens. —Crystal Heath and Gene Baur, TIME, 6 Dec. 2024

The genetic material of several human pathogens—among them MRSA, Bartonella quintana, and hepatitis C—has also been found in bedbugs outside the laboratory. —Kristen V. Brown, The Atlantic, 4 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

patho- + -gen, after pathogenic, pathogenesis

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined above

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