virulent

[ vir-yuh-luhnt, vir-uh- ]
See synonyms for virulent on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. actively poisonous; intensely noxious: a virulent insect bite.

  2. Medicine/Medical. highly infective; malignant or deadly.

  1. Bacteriology. causing clinical symptoms.

  2. violently or spitefully hostile.

  3. intensely bitter, spiteful, or malicious: a virulent attack.

Origin of virulent

1
1350–1400; Middle English verulent<Latin vīrulentus, equivalent to vīr(us) poison (see virus) + -ulentus-ulent

Other words for virulent

Opposites for virulent

Other words from virulent

  • vir·u·lent·ly, adverb
  • hy·per·vir·u·lent, adjective
  • hy·per·vir·u·lent·ly, adverb
  • non·vir·u·lent, adjective
  • non·vir·u·lent·ly, adverb
  • su·per·vir·u·lent, adjective
  • su·per·vir·u·lent·ly, adverb
  • un·vir·u·lent, adjective
  • un·vir·u·lent·ly, adverb

Words that may be confused with virulent

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for virulent

virulent

/ (ˈvɪrʊlənt) /


adjective
    • (of a microorganism) extremely infective

    • (of a disease) having a rapid course and violent effect

  1. extremely poisonous, injurious, etc

  1. extremely bitter, hostile, etc

Origin of virulent

1
C14: from Latin vīrulentus full of poison, from vīrus poison; see virus

Derived forms of virulent

  • virulently, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012