virulence: Meaning and Definition of

vir•u•lence

Pronunciation: (vir'yu-luns, vir'u-), [key]
— n.
  1. quality of being virulent.
    1. the relative ability of a microorganism to cause disease; degree of pathogenicity.
    2. the capability of a microorganism to cause disease.
  2. venomous hostility.
  3. intense sharpness of temper.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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