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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
Numerous surfaces and pooled water in non-food contact areas of the facility tested positive for Listeria bacteria, a potentially deadly food pathogen behind an outbreak linked to Boar's Head meat last year.
—Ars Technica, 13 Jan. 2025
In some cases, the heat activates dormant pathogens, significantly increasing the likelihood of foodborne illnesses.
—Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
Many of the pests and pathogens that stalk your garden are seasonal, i.e. appear only at certain times of the year.
—The San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Jan. 2025
The decision to infect someone with a pathogen needs to be outweighed by clear and obvious benefits, said Angela Huttner, an infectious disease physician at Geneva University Hospital in Switzerland.
—Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Jan. 2025
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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 21 Jan. 2025.
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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