pathogen
PATH-uh-jen
/ˈpæθədʒən/
A bacterium, virus, or other microorganism that can cause disease.
Specifically refers to the biological agent that causes the disease, not the disease itself.
The story behind the word. A combination of the Greek 'pathos' (suffering or disease) and 'genes' (born of). Literally, it is a 'producer of suffering', describing any agent that brings about illness.
Word relationships
- germ: Germ is a more informal, general term; pathogen is precise and scientific.
- microbe: A microbe is any microscopic organism, but a pathogen is specifically one that causes disease.
- probiotic: A beneficial microorganism that promotes health rather than causing disease.
Commonly confused with
- toxin: A pathogen is a living organism; a toxin is a poisonous substance produced by a living organism.
Word family
- pathogenic (adjective): Capable of causing disease.
- pathogenesis (noun): The manner of development of a disease.
Collocations
- deadly pathogen
- foodborne pathogen
- pathogen detection
- resistant pathogen
Example sentences
- "The researchers identified a new pathogen that was resistant to standard antibiotics." Medical research paper
- "Cooking meat to the correct internal temperature kills any pathogen that may be present." Food safety manual
Memory hook
Pathogens create a 'path' to 'gen'-eral suffering. Suffering-born.
When not to use
Do not use for non-biological poisons; use 'toxin' instead.
Fun facts
- Not all bacteria are pathogens; in fact, the human body contains trillions of bacteria that are essential for health.
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