Meaning of germ in English
germ
noun
UKvolume_up
/dʒɜːm/
USvolume_up
/dʒɝːm/
germnoun(ORGANISM)
C1[ C usually plural ]

a very small organism that causes disease:

Wash your hands so you don't get germs on the food.

spread germs Rats and flies spread germs.

germ
noun
USvolume_up
/dʒɜrm/
germnoun(ORGANISM)
[ C usually pl ]

a very small organism that causes disease:

The patient has little natural resistance to germs.

germnoun(ORIGIN)
[ C ]

the origin of something that develops, esp. a cell from which grain grows or the beginning of an idea:

Alejandro’s suggestion was the germ of an idea.