Definition

A living organism, like a bacterium or virus, that can cause illness or disease in another living being.

Example

The doctor explained that the flu is caused by a virus, which is a type of pathogen.

Conversation

I read that a new pathogen is causing some illness in the city.

Really? That sounds concerning!

Yeah, they say it's really important to stay informed about these pathogen outbreaks.

Absolutely, knowledge can help us take better precautions.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Pathogen → It is formed from "patho-" (from Greek "pathos", meaning suffering or disease) and "-gen" (from Greek "genes", meaning born of or produced by). The word "pathogen" refers to an agent that causes disease or suffering.

Memory Tip

Think of 'suffering' ('patho-') being caused by something that is 'produced' ('-gen') — that's why a pathogen is something that causes disease.

Visually Confused Words