as in origin
the source from which something grows or develops
this hastily scribbled equation on a cocktail napkin became the germ of a new scientific theory
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Recent Examples of germ
Gallo notes one example: constant hand sanitizer, even without significant germ exposure.
—
Matt Fuchs, TIME, 6 Feb. 2025
Today, the process of cleaning water begins with the same steps employed by the ancient Egyptians, followed by extensive filtration to get rid of debris as well as most germs and chemicals.
—Bill Sullivan, The Conversation, 27 Jan. 2025
The dogs are kept away from allergic patients and washed regularly to prevent germs from spreading, and people must wash their hands before and after petting them.
—John Daley, NPR, 24 Jan. 2025
Not to mention all the germs that the infant could be exposed to from grandma.
—Annabelle Canela, Parents, 23 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for germ
Matt Fuchs, TIME, 6 Feb. 2025
Today, the process of cleaning water begins with the same steps employed by the ancient Egyptians, followed by extensive filtration to get rid of debris as well as most germs and chemicals.
—Bill Sullivan, The Conversation, 27 Jan. 2025
The dogs are kept away from allergic patients and washed regularly to prevent germs from spreading, and people must wash their hands before and after petting them.
—John Daley, NPR, 24 Jan. 2025
Not to mention all the germs that the infant could be exposed to from grandma.
—Annabelle Canela, Parents, 23 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for germ
Recent Examples of Synonyms for germ
Noun
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The eight-episode season is an origin story for the titular king, beginning with a flash forward to his showdown with Goliath (Martyn Ford) before rewinding to his days as a humble shepherd.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
27 Feb. 2025
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Carrie Underwood is set to remind people of her American Idol origin story ahead of getting behind the judging desk.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
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But these are temporary fixes that fail to address the root cause: a healthcare system that is failing to match the supply with demand.—
Renee Hsia,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
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Related article ‘An agenda to control you’: How climate solutions got sucked into a fevered culture war Experts say the roots of the shift toward far-right parties can be traced back years.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Now Tennessee has staked a claim to the first No. 1 seed in program history with a stirring comeback, charging back from a nine-point deficit in the final 10 minutes.—
Joe Rexrode,
The Athletic,
2 Mar. 2025
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The winners will be the likely No. 1 seeds for the Southern California Regional playoffs that begin next week.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Like Thomas [Bangalter] did help us at the very beginning on a couple of things, doing pre-mastering.—
Seth Abramovitch,
The Hollywood Reporter,
7 Mar. 2025
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The Dow Jones Industrial Average is now down 2.1% since the beginning of President Donald Trump ’s second term.—
Jason Gewirtz,
CNBC,
7 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Germ.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/germ. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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