pathogenic

[ path-uh-jen-ik ]

adjective

1. Pathology. capable of producing disease:

   pathogenic bacteria.

pathogenic

/ ˌpæθəˈdʒɛnɪk /

adjective

1. able to cause or produce disease

   pathogenic bacteria

pathogenic

1. A descriptive term for a thing or condition that can cause disease.

Other Words From

• anti·patho·genic adjective
• nonpath·o·genic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pathogenic¹

First recorded in 1850–55; patho- + -genic

Example Sentences

“This does appear to be a more pathogenic virus that’s causing more illness in children in all age groups than the variants that we’ve previously seen,” Thomas Unnasch, a public health professor at the University of South Florida, testified.

From Washington Post

When it comes to bacterial species that are pathogenic to humans, those that climb to the peaks are bad news for us, particularly if that ascent is due to their drug-resistance abilities.

From Nautilus

When scientists delete these cleavage sites, the virus becomes less transmissible and less pathogenic, Menachery says.

From MIT Technology Review

And, he reasoned, if swallowing a pathogenic bacterial culture sickened you, then swallowing a beneficial one would make you healthier.

From Nautilus

When Pascal Gagneux envisions malaria parasites and other pathogens interacting with the surfaces of a host’s cells, he pictures a miniature rainforest with pathogenic particles flying overhead like colorful birds.

From Quanta Magazine

Pathogenic bacteria from the remains can get into water supplies.

From The Daily Beast

Ward determined to study this as the most extreme type of pathogenic infection.

From Project Gutenberg

He established, in fact, a complete parallelism between the behaviour of rust-fungi and that of pathogenic organisms in animals.

From Project Gutenberg

Pathogenic bacteria undergo a progressive loss of virulence when cultivated in the presence of light.

From Project Gutenberg

It is customary to commence the study of the pathogenic bacteria with the Organisms of Suppuration.

From Project Gutenberg

If any of the animals die, make complete post-mortem examinations and endeavour to isolate the pathogenic organisms.

From Project Gutenberg