adjective
antiviral
an-tee-VY-ruhl
Antiviral (adjective) means stopping or slowing the growth and reproduction of a virus. Example: “The doctor prescribed an antiviral drug for the flu.”
adjective
1
pharmacology Stopping or slowing the growth and reproduction of a virus.
"The doctor prescribed an antiviral drug for the flu."
"Antiviral treatment can shorten the length of the illness."
"Researchers are testing a new antiviral compound."
2
computing Designed to detect or stop the action of a computer virus.
"She installed antiviral software on her laptop."
"The company runs antiviral scans on every email attachment."
noun
1
pharmacology A medicine used to treat a viral infection.
"Antivirals work best when taken early in the illness."
"The pharmacy was out of stock of the antiviral."
"Several antivirals are now available for common respiratory viruses."
How to use antiviral
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething that fights off a virus, whether in the body or in a computer.
When to use it
The word covers two quite separate fields, medicine and computing, so the surrounding sentence usually makes the intended meaning clear.
Memory tip
Check the context: antiviral medicine treats illness, while antiviral software protects a computer.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
antiviral drug
antiviral treatment
antiviral software
take an antiviral
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The doctor prescribed an _____ drug for the flu.
Etymology
Antiviral combines the prefix anti-, meaning against, with viral, describing something related to or caused by a virus.
Rhymes for antiviral
See all rhymes for antiviral →Frequently asked questions
What does antiviral mean?
It describes something that works against a virus, most often a medicine, but the same word is also used for software that fights computer viruses.
What is an antiviral used for?
An antiviral is a medication used to treat or manage an infection caused by a virus.
Is antiviral the same as antibiotic?
No. Antivirals act on viruses, while antibiotics act on bacteria; each is generally ineffective against the other type of infection.
What is the meaning of antiviral?
"antiviral" (adjective) means stopping or slowing the growth and reproduction of a virus.
