adj
virulent
VIH-ruulnt
Virulent (adj) means Extremely infectious or harmful, said of a disease or pathogen. Example: “A particularly virulent strain of the flu swept through the school.”
adj
1
Extremely infectious or harmful, said of a disease or pathogen.
"A particularly virulent strain of the flu swept through the school."
2
Bitterly hostile or hateful.
"The critic wrote a virulent review, tearing the film apart line by line."
How to use virulent
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither extremely dangerous or infectious (a disease), or extremely hostile and bitter (an attack or criticism).
Common pairings
a virulent strain
virulent criticism
virulent hatred
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more virulent
- Superlative
- most virulent
Fill the gap
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A particularly _____ strain of the flu swept through the school.
Etymology
From Latin virulentus, "full of poison," from virus ("poison").
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
avirulent
Related words
Rhymes for virulent
See all rhymes for virulent →Frequently asked questions
What does “virulent” mean?
The word “virulent” means extremely infectious or harmful, said of a disease or pathogen. In plain terms, either extremely dangerous or infectious (a disease), or extremely hostile and bitter (an attack or criticism).
How do you pronounce “virulent”?
“Virulent” is pronounced VIH-ruulnt (/ˈvɪɹ(j)ələnt/ in IPA).
How do you use “virulent” in a sentence?
Here is “virulent” used in a sentence: “A particularly virulent strain of the flu swept through the school.”
What part of speech is “virulent”?
“Virulent” is an adjective.
Where does the word “virulent” come from?
The word “virulent” comes from Latin. From Latin virulentus, "full of poison," from virus ("poison").
How many meanings does “virulent” have?
“Virulent” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: extremely infectious or harmful, said of a disease or pathogen.
