VIRULENT

virulent

(adjective) infectious; having the ability to cause disease

acerb, acerbic, acid, acrid, bitter, blistering, caustic, sulfurous, sulphurous, virulent, vitriolic

(adjective) harsh or corrosive in tone; “an acerbic tone piercing otherwise flowery prose”; “a barrage of acid comments”; “her acrid remarks make her many enemies”; “bitter words”; “blistering criticism”; “caustic jokes about political assassination, talk-show hosts and medical ethics”; “a sulfurous denunciation”; “a vitriolic critique”

deadly, venomous, virulent

(adjective) extremely poisonous or injurious; producing venom; “venomous snakes”; “a virulent insect bite”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Adjective

virulent (comparative more virulent, superlative most virulent)

(chiefly, medicine, of a disease or disease-causing agent) Highly infectious, malignant, or deadly.

(figurative) Hostile to the point of being venomous; intensely acrimonious.

Anagrams

• evil turn

Source: Wiktionary

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Vir"u*lent, a. Etym: [L. virulentus, fr. virus poison: cf. F. virulent. See Virus.]

1. Extremely poisonous or venomous; very active in doing injury. A contagious disorder rendered more virulent by uncleanness. Sir W. Scott.

2. Very bitter in enmity; actuated by a desire to injure; malignant; as, a virulent invective.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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