Definition

The ability of an organism to cause disease in a host.

Example

The pathogenicity of the virus was studied to understand how it affects human health.

Conversation

Have you ever heard about the concept of pathogenicity in bacteria?

Yeah, it’s fascinating how some germs can make us sick while others don’t.

Exactly! The pathogenicity really determines how harmful they can be.

Right, it’s amazing how such small organisms can have such a big impact on our health.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Pathogenicity → It is formed from "patho-" (from Greek "pathos", meaning suffering or disease) and "genic" (from Greek "genes", meaning born of or produced by). The word "pathogenicity" refers to the quality of being able to cause disease or suffering.

Memory Tip

Think of 'pathos' which relates to suffering, and 'genic' which means produced by — this helps you remember that pathogenicity is about the ability to produce disease.

Visually Confused Words