virulent

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Definitions (12)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (4)

  1. adjective Extremely infectious, malignant, or poisonous. Used of a disease or toxin.
  2. adjective Capable of causing disease by breaking down protective mechanisms of the host. Used of a pathogen.
  3. adjective Bitterly hostile or antagonistic; hateful: virulent criticism. See Synonyms at poisonous.
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Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (4)

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Examples

  • The more systematic, virulent, and crushing persecution of those who, defying the tyrant's rage, bared their bosoms to the storm; and had the courage at all hazards to plead for the royal prerogatives of Messiah the Prince, and to contend for the chartered liberties of the Presbyterian Church. —  The Life of James Renwick
  • But she had seen this kind of enemy before - just not so virulent, and not centered in the nerve-net and spine. —  Owlsight
  • In the fourth month, in February of 1871, that is, the virulent leprosy that abided in Kinau broke loose, and within the space of a few weeks she became a horribly riddled thing, a walking corpse with thick, bloated face, shivering lips about to fall away and sickening illness in her breasts. —  Hawaii
  • He lifted his hand to his brow in a salute. —  Blind Alley
  • "Still too virulent," Harlan said. —  Invasion
 

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Virulent has been looked up 309 times, favorited twice, listed 34 times, and commented on twice.

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Related

Roget's II Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

Allen's Allen's Synonyms and Antonyms

Used in the same context Used in the Same Context

contagious ·  malignant ·  venomous ·  scurrilous ·  rancorous ·  lethal ·  scathing ·  violent ·  deadly ·  vehement ·  inveterate ·  destructive
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English, from Latin vīrulentus, from vīrus, poison.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. from French virulent = Spanish Pg, Italian virulento, from Latin virulentus, full of poison, from virus, poison: see virus.
 

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/ˈvɪrulənt/
by American Heritage

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