VIRULENCY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does virulency mean? 

• VIRULENCY (noun)
  The noun VIRULENCY has 2 senses:

1. extreme harmfulness (as the capacity of a microorganism to cause disease)

2. extreme hostility

  Familiarity information: VIRULENCY used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• VIRULENCY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Extreme harmfulness (as the capacity of a microorganism to cause disease)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

virulence; virulency

Context example:

the virulence of the plague

Hypernyms ("virulency" is a kind of...):

harmfulness; injuriousness (destructiveness that causes harm or injury)

Domain category:

micro-organism; microorganism (any organism of microscopic size)

Derivation:

virulent (extremely poisonous or injurious; producing venom)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Extreme hostility

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

virulence; virulency

Context example:

the virulence of the malicious old man

Hypernyms ("virulency" is a kind of...):

hostility; ill will (a hostile (very unfriendly) disposition)

Derivation:

virulent (harsh or corrosive in tone)