— germless , adj. — germlike , adj.
/jerrm/ , n.
1. a microorganism, esp. when disease-producing; microbe.
2. a bud, offshoot, or seed.
3. the rudiment of a living organism; an embryo in its early stages.
4. the initial stage in development or evolution, as a germ cell or ancestral form.
5. something that serves as a source or initial stage for subsequent development: the germ of an idea.
adj.
6. Pathol. of, pertaining to, or caused by disease-producing germs.
[ 1400-50; late ME germe germen shoot, sprout, by dissimilation from * genmen, equiv. to gen- (see GENITOR, GENUS) + - men resultative n. suffix) ]
Syn. 4. spark, root, bud, rudiment, seed.