pathogenic
/ˌpæθ.əˈdʒen.ɪk/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Pathogenic means able to cause disease. It is often used in science, medicine, and biology.
- The bacteria are pathogenic.
- Doctors studied the pathogenic virus.
- Some strains are more pathogenic than others.
Adinary Nuance
Pathogenic is more specific than harmful or dangerous. It usually describes germs, microbes, or substances that cause disease, not general harm. Writers choose it in medical or scientific contexts, where precision matters. It is not used for everyday problems or feelings.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- gây bệnh
- Spanish
- patógeno
- Chinese
- 致病的
- Japanese
- 病原性の
- Korean
- 병원성의
Etymology
Pathogenic comes from Greek pathos, meaning “suffering” or “disease,” and -genic, meaning “producing.” It entered English through scientific and medical use.
Common phrases
pathogenic bacteriapathogenic organismpathogenic viruspathogenic strain
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is pathogenic a formal word?
- Yes. It is mostly used in medical, scientific, and academic writing.
- What is the difference between pathogenic and infectious?
- Pathogenic means disease-causing. Infectious means able to spread from one person or thing to another.
- Can I use pathogenic for people?
- No, not usually. It is mainly used for microbes, organisms, or substances.