virulent
[vir-yuh-luh nt, vir-uh-]
- actively poisonous; intensely noxious: a virulent insect bite.
- Medicine/Medical. highly infective; malignant or deadly.
- Bacteriology. causing clinical symptoms.
- violently or spitefully hostile.
- intensely bitter, spiteful, or malicious: a virulent attack.
Origin of virulent
Synonyms
See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com1. venomous. 5. vicious, acerbic.
Antonyms
1. harmless.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for non-virulent
Historical Examples
Paul Bert found the bronchial mucus virulent in dogs in which the saliva was non-virulent.
virulent
- (of a microorganism) extremely infective
- (of a disease) having a rapid course and violent effect
- extremely poisonous, injurious, etc
- extremely bitter, hostile, etc
Word Origin
C14: from Latin vīrulentus full of poison, from vīrus poison; see virus
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for non-virulent
virulent
adj.
c.1400, in reference to wounds, ulcers, etc., "full of corrupt or poisonous matter," from Latin virulentus "poisonous," from virus "poison" (see virus). Figurative sense of "violent, spiteful" is attested from c.1600. Related: Virulently.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
virulent
(vîr′yə-lənt, vîr′ə-)
- Extremely infectious, malignant, or poisonous. Used of a disease or toxin.
- Capable of causing disease by breaking down protective mechanisms of the host. Used of a pathogen.
- Intensely irritating, obnoxious, or harsh.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.