English Explanatory Dictionary

Medusavirus

English dictionary entry

Meanings

name
  1. An informal genus of the informal family Medusaviridae, large DNA viruses that infect amoeba.
noun
  1. A giant virus infecting amoebae causing them to shrivel and harden.

Word forms

Medusavirus medusaviruses

Etymology

From Ancient Greek Μέδουσα (Médousa, “Medusa”) + virus. From Latin virus (“virus”). From being a virus which can turn amoeba into stone-like cysts. From Medusa, the Greek mythological figure which could petrify people with a glance.

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