virusnoun/ˈvaɪ.ɹəs/

• 1

  A submicroscopic, non-cellular structure that consists of a core of DNA or RNA surrounded by a protein coat, that requires a living host cell to replicate, and that sometimes causes disease in the host organism (such agents are often classed as nonliving infectious particles and less often as microorganisms).

  • Viruses are the smallest and most simplified forms of life.
  • Bats host many high-profile viruses that can infect humans, including severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola.
• 2

  A submicroscopic, non-cellular structure that consists of a core of DNA or RNA surrounded by a protein coat, that requires a living host cell to replicate, and that sometimes causes disease in the host organism (such agents are often classed as nonliving infectious particles and less often as microorganisms).

  • Meronym: virion (individual particle)
  • Some viruses, such as norovirus, cause sporadic outbreaks of gastroenteritis.
• 3

  A submicroscopic, non-cellular structure that consists of a core of DNA or RNA surrounded by a protein coat, that requires a living host cell to replicate, and that sometimes causes disease in the host organism (such agents are often classed as nonliving infectious particles and less often as microorganisms).

  • Under electron microscopy, a few viruses were seen floating near the cells.
• 4

  A quantity of such infectious agents, considered en masse.

  • Not much virus was detectable on a nucleic acid test; the viral load was very low.
  • Unless professionally inspected, they [plants] may also carry along unseen pests and diseases (particularly small insects and microbes such as virus or bacteria) whose populations might explode catastrophically in new locations.
• 5

  informalA disease caused by such an infectious agent; a viral illness.

  • He's got a virus and had to stay home from school.
• 6

  archaicVenom, as produced by a poisonous animal etc.

  • Brazil, that inferno where every budding flower and every buzzing bluebottle fly bears a lascivious virus.
• 7

  computingengineeringmathematicsA type of malware which can covertly transmit itself between computers via networks (especially the Internet) or removable storage such as disks by inserting its code into other executable files, often causing damage to systems and data; also computer virus.

  • Wait a minute! Is this one of those virus emails?!
• 8

  computingengineeringmathematicsAny type of malware.

virusverb/ˈvaɪ.ɹəs/

• 1

  rareTo send or infect an electronic device with a computer virus.

  • I'm just going to virus anyone who tries cheating on this game.