Science, ideas & the artsAnimals, plants & weather

virus

Latin vīrus was any poison, slime or venom; English used it for snake venom and pus before 1890s biology narrowed it to the tiny infectious agents we call viruses today. The scientific word went everywhere: Japanese took it from German as uirusu, and English carried it on to Korea, India and East Africa.

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The road to English

From Latin to French, Turkish

From French to Arabic

From Latin to German, Japanese

From Latin to Russian

From Latin to Italian

From Latin to Spanish

From Latin to Modern Hebrew

From English to Korean

From English to Hindi

From English to Swahili

50 BCELatin

Hops are evenly spaced; labels show the year each form is first attested.

virus

Weakest linkCertain

The road to English

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