ENGLISH
REFERENCE

viruses

n. countable
B1 Intermediate US //ˈvaɪɹəsəz// UK //vˈaɪɹəsɪz// virus·es

n. tiny germs that can make you sick by living and growing inside your body. They are much smaller than bacteria and can spread from person to person.

n. microscopic infectious agents that replicate only inside the living cells of an organism. They consist of genetic material, such as DNA or RNA, surrounded by a protein coat.


SIMPLE

Wash your hands to stop the spread of viruses.

CONTEXTUAL

Doctors explain that antibiotics are effective against bacteria but cannot kill viruses like the common cold.

COMPLEX

The rapid mutation of certain viruses presents a significant challenge for vaccine development, as new strains may evade the immune response triggered by previous inoculations.

Synonyms
Usage

The plural form of 'virus'; used to refer to specific biological strains or malicious computer programs.

Pitfall

The doctor gave me antibiotics for my viruses.The doctor gave me medicine for my viruses.Learners often mistakenly believe antibiotics treat viruses, but they only work on bacterial infections.

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