Word
virulent
Phoneticsvir·u·lent, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈvɪɹəɫənt/
UK/vˈɪɹələnt/
Definition
adj. describing a disease that is very strong and spreads very quickly. It can also describe a person who is very angry or full of hate.
adj. characterised by extreme intensity, rapid spread, or extreme hostility. In a medical context, it describes pathogens that cause severe disease and high mortality.
Examples
“The virus is highly virulent and spreads easily.”
“The new strain of the flu was so virulent that hospitals were overwhelmed within a week.”
“The politician's speech was filled with virulent rhetoric that alienated many of his former supporters and made the election much more difficult to win.”
Examples
simple
“The virus is highly virulent and spreads easily.”
contextual
“The new strain of the flu was so virulent that hospitals were overwhelmed within a week.”
complex
“The politician's speech was filled with virulent rhetoric that alienated many of his former supporters and made the election much more difficult to win.”
Real-World Examples
“The Type A strain is more virulent and has been linked to mortalities and population declines in UK greenfinch populations.” “As this virulent strain spreads, researchers like Ryding are monitoring the situation closely.” Etymology
PIE word *wisós From Middle English virulent (“leaking or seeping pus, purulent; (of putrefaction) extremely severe (sense uncertain)”) [and other forms], borrowed from Latin vīrulentus (“poisonous”), from vīrus (“poison; venom; slime, slimy liquid; stinking smell; nasty taste”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wisós (“poison; slime; fluidity”)) + -ulentus (suffix meaning ‘abounding in, full of’, forming adjectives). Sense 4 (“of a pathogen: replicating within its host cell, then immediately causing it to undergo lysis”) is derived from French virulent, which was first used in this sense by the French biologist François Jacob (1920–2013) and his co-authors in a 1953 article.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/virulent