virus

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'virus' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use the word 'virus' when you are referring to a type of infecting agent that causes disease. For example, "The outbreak of the new virus has affected hundreds of people."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Based on a true story, its stars McConaughey as an AIDS sufferer who smuggles drugs for other patients to treat the HIV virus in the early days of the disease in the 1980s.

The Guardian - Film

"We know the virus is changing quite a lot," the human geneticist Dr Anavaj Sakuntabhai told the BBC website.

The Guardian

"These people may be the people who can spread the virus better, but we still don't know that yet.

The Guardian

He admitted that when the virus first struck "there was probably a lack of knowledge and there was a certain degree of arrogance", but he said he believed lessons were being learned.

The Guardian

Schiele, having also contracted the virus, lasted another three days before dying early in the morning of 31 October.

The Guardian - Arts

Tony Abbott is holding firm against calls to send Australian medical experts to west Africa to help contain the Ebola virus, saying that other countries have yet to give firm commitments to assist in evacuations.

The Guardian

Plibersek said many Australian health experts were willing to go to the region to help contain the virus but the government was "not assisting them or facilitating that in any serious way".

The Guardian

Shorten said the government should not wait for the virus to reach Australian shores before acting.

The Guardian

Abbott said the move followed an assurance from the British government that any Australian health worker who contracted the virus would be treated "as though he or she were a citizen of the UK".

The Guardian

Now we need to concentrate on the software, getting rid of the sectarian virus and maintaining a cycle of non-violence.

The Guardian

Acclaimed science writer and explorer David Quammen first came near the virus while he was traveling in the jungles of Gabon, accompanied by local men whose village had been devastated by a recent outbreak.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use precise terminology when describing different types of "viruses" (e.g., retrovirus, malware).

Common error

Avoid using antibiotics to treat viral infections. Antibiotics are effective against bacteria, but not against "viruses".

Linguistic Context

The word "virus" primarily functions as a noun, referring to a biological agent or a type of malicious software. Ludwig AI confirms its usage in various contexts, as seen in the provided examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "virus" is a very common noun with multifaceted applications. It refers to biological entities causing diseases or malicious software infecting computer systems. As evidenced by Ludwig, its usage spans across news, scientific, and formal contexts. To prevent confusion, you should specify the exact context when you use it. Ludwig AI confirms that "virus" is grammatically correct and acceptable in English. When writing about "viruses", precision is crucial, especially when differentiating between biological and digital threats. When you're discussing about treatments, remember that antibiotics are ineffective against viral infections.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

viral infection

Emphasizes the infection caused by a virus.

infectious agent

Refers to any agent capable of causing infection, including viruses.

computer malware

Specifically refers to malicious software, including computer viruses.

pathogen

A broad term for any disease-causing organism.

germ

An informal term for a microorganism that can cause disease.

disease-causing agent

A general term for any agent that causes disease.

cyber threat

Focuses on the threat posed by computer viruses.

digital infection

An analogy to biological infection, referring to computer viruses.

malicious code

Another term for computer malware.

source of infection

Highlights the origin or cause of a viral infection.

FAQs

How is a "virus" defined in biology?

In biology, a "virus" is a submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism. It consists of a core of DNA or RNA surrounded by a protein coat.

What is the difference between a "virus" and bacteria?

A "virus" is much smaller than bacteria and requires a host cell to replicate, while bacteria are single-celled organisms that can reproduce independently. Antibiotics are effective against bacteria but not against "viruses".

What are some common examples of viral diseases?

Common examples of viral diseases include the flu, the common cold, measles, chickenpox, and HIV. Emerging viruses like Ebola and MERS also cause significant concern.

What is a computer "virus"?

A computer "virus" is a type of malware that, when executed, replicates by inserting copies of itself into other computer programs, data files, or sectors of the hard drive. It can cause various types of damage, from data corruption to system crashes.