[par.vo.vi.rus] n [NL, fr. L parvus small (akin to Gk pauros small, paid-, pais child) + NL -o- + virus--more at few] (1965) 1: any of a group of small single-stranded DNA viruses pathogenic for vertebrates
2: a highly contagious febrile disease of dogs that is caused by a parvovirus and marked by loss of appetite, lethargy, often bloody diarrhea and vomiting, and sometimes death