germ

 
Pronunciation: /dʒəːm/

noun

  • 1a microorganism, especially one which causes disease.
  • 2a portion of an organism capable of developing into a new one or part of one.
  • the embryo in a cereal grain or other plant seed.
  • an initial stage from which something may develop: the germ of a brilliant idea

Derivatives

germy

adjective (germier, germiest)
informal,germ (sense 1)).

Origin:

late Middle English (in germ (sense 2)): via Old French from Latin germen 'seed, sprout'. germ (sense 1) dates from the late 19th century