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germ

more about germ

germ


  4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Germ  \Germ\,  n.  (Biol.) 
  The  germ  cells,  collectively,  as  distinguished  from  the 
  somatic  cells,  or  soma.  Germ  is  often  used  in  place  of 
  germinal  to  form  phrases;  as  germ  area,  germ  disc,  germ 
  membrane,  germ  nucleus,  germ  sac,  etc 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Germ  \Germ\,  n.  [F.  germe,  fr  L.  germen,  germinis  sprout,  but 
  germ.  Cf  {Germen},  {Germane}.] 
  1.  (Biol.)  That  which  is  to  develop  a  new  individual;  as  the 
  germ  of  a  fetus,  of  a  plant  or  flower,  and  the  like  the 
  earliest  form  under  which  an  organism  appears. 
 
  In  the  entire  process  in  which  a  new  being 
  originates  .  .  .  two  distinct  classes  of  action 
  participate;  namely,  the  act  of  generation  by  which 
  the  germ  is  produced;  and  the  act  of  development,  by 
  which  that  germ  is  evolved  into  the  complete 
  organism.  --Carpenter. 
 
  2.  That  from  which  anything  springs;  origin;  first  principle; 
  as  the  germ  of  civil  liberty. 
 
  {Disease  germ}  (Biol.),  a  name  applied  to  certain  tiny 
  bacterial  organisms  or  their  spores,  such  as  Anthrax 
  bacillus  and  the  {Micrococcus}  of  fowl  cholera,  which  have 
  been  demonstrated  to  be  the  cause  of  certain  diseases.  See 
  {Germ  theory}  (below). 
 
  {Germ  cell}  (Biol.),  the  germ,  egg,  spore,  or  cell  from  which 
  the  plant  or  animal  arises.  At  one  time  a  part  of  the  body 
  of  the  parent,  it  finally  becomes  detached,and  by  a 
  process  of  multiplication  and  growth  gives  rise  to  a  mass 
  of  cells,  which  ultimately  form  a  new  individual  like  the 
  parent.  See  {Ovum}. 
 
  {Germ  gland}.  (Anat.)  See  {Gonad}. 
 
  {Germ  stock}  (Zo["o]l.),  a  special  process  on  which  buds  are 
  developed  in  certain  animals.  See  {Doliolum}. 
 
  {Germ  theory}  (Biol.),  the  theory  that  living  organisms  can 
  be  produced  only  by  the  evolution  or  development  of  living 
  germs  or  seeds.  See  {Biogenesis},  and  {Abiogenesis}.  As 
  applied  to  the  origin  of  disease,  the  theory  claims  that 
  the  zymotic  diseases  are  due  to  the  rapid  development  and 
  multiplication  of  various  bacteria,  the  germs  or  spores  of 
  which  are  either  contained  in  the  organism  itself  or 
  transferred  through  the  air  or  water.  See  {Fermentation 
  theory}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Germ  \Germ\,  v.  i. 
  To  germinate.  [R.]  --J.  Morley. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  germ 
  n  1:  anything  that  provides  inspiration  for  later  work  [syn:  {source}, 
  {seed}] 
  2:  a  minute  life  form  (especially  a  disease-causing  bacterium); 
  the  term  is  not  in  technical  use  [syn:  {microbe},  {bug}] 




more about germ