Definition

A type of virus that is transmitted by insects like mosquitoes and ticks, and can cause diseases such as dengue and yellow fever.

Example

The flavivirus is responsible for several serious diseases in humans and animals.

Conversation

Have you heard about the flavivirus outbreak in the news?

Yeah, it sounds pretty serious, especially with all those mosquitoes around.

I didn't realize how many diseases are caused by flavivirus infections.

It's wild! We really need to be careful this summer.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Flavivirus → It is formed from "flavus" (meaning yellow in Latin) and "virus" (meaning poison or venom in Latin). The word "flavivirus" refers to a virus that is associated with yellow fever, hence the connection to the color yellow.

Memory Tip

Think of the Latin word for yellow, 'flavus', to remember that 'flavivirus' is related to a virus associated with yellow fever.

Visually Confused Words