Synonyms

computer virus

American

noun

computer virus Cultural

A program that enters a computer usually without the knowledge of the operator. Some viruses are mild and only cause messages to appear on the screen, but others are destructive and can wipe out the computer's memory or cause more severe damage.

The creation of computer viruses can be part of cyberwarfare.

Computer viruses spread from machine to machine on disks or, more commonly, over the Internet.

First recorded in 1985–90

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023