Virus in different languages

Virus in Different Languages

Discover 'Virus' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

A virus is a small infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism. Viruses can cause a variety of diseases, from the common cold to more serious illnesses like HIV/AIDS and Ebola. The significance of viruses in our world cannot be overstated, as they have played a major role in shaping the course of human history.

The word 'virus' has a rich cultural importance, particularly in the field of science and medicine. It has also been used in popular culture, from movies like 'The Andromeda Strain' to video games like 'Resident Evil'. Understanding the translation of the word 'virus' in different languages can provide insight into how different cultures view and understand this important concept.

For example, in Spanish, the word for virus is 'virus', while in French it is 'virus'. In German, it is 'Virus', and in Japanese, it is 'バイруス (bairosu)'. These translations not only provide a linguistic understanding of the word, but also offer a glimpse into how different cultures conceptualize and discuss viruses.

In this article, we will explore the translations of the word 'virus' in a variety of languages, shedding light on the fascinating cultural and historical contexts associated with this important term.

Virus


Virus in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansvirus
In Afrikaans, "virus" can also refer to a "venom" or "poisonous substance."
Amharicቫይረስ
The word "ቫይረስ" in Amharic is derived from the Latin word "virus", meaning "poison".
Hausaƙwayar cuta
In Hausa, the word "ƙwayar cuta" can also mean "germ" or "bacteria".
Igbonje
Igbo's word for "virus" (nje) also denotes "a tiny thing"
Malagasyviriosy
The word "viriosy" in the Malagasy language can also be used to indicate a germ, poison, or infection.
Nyanja (Chichewa)kachilombo
Kachilombo may also refer to a very strong or persistent smell.
Shonautachiona
The term 'utachiona' in Shona can also refer to "something that cannot be seen" or "a disease that spreads through water".
Somalifayruus
The Somali word "fayruus" derives from the Arabic "fīrūs", meaning "harmful substance".
Sesothovaerase
The word 'vaerase' in Sesotho refers to a contagious disease, but it also carries the connotation of something that is harmful or destructive.
Swahilivirusi
"Virusi" in Swahili also refers to a type of parasitic plant or weed.
Xhosaintsholongwane
In Xhosa, 'intsholongwane' is also used to refer to something tiny and almost invisible.
Yorubakòkòrò àrùn fáírọọsì
The word "kòkòrò àrùn fáírọọsì" is a compound word that literally means "small thing that causes sickness". "Kòkòrò" means "small thing" and "àrùn" means "sickness".
Zuluigciwane
The Zulu word 'igciwane' shares a root with the word for 'small' or 'young' ('ingane'), indicating a perception of viruses as 'the little ones'.
Bambarabanakisɛ ye
Ewedɔlékui aɖe
Kinyarwandavirusi
Lingalavirus oyo babengi virus
Lugandaakawuka
Sepeditwatši
Twi (Akan)mmoawa a wɔde ɔyare mmoawa ba

Virus in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicفايروس
فايروس "virus" is an Arabic word referring to a microorganism that can only reproduce inside the living cells of an organism which comes from the Latin word "virus" that originated from "vira" (meaning poison or venom).
Hebrewנגיף
"נגיף" (virus) is a Hebrew word that can also mean "plague" or "scourge".
Pashtoوایرس
The word "وایرس" (virus) in Pashto is also used to refer to a type of computer virus.
Arabicفايروس
فايروس "virus" is an Arabic word referring to a microorganism that can only reproduce inside the living cells of an organism which comes from the Latin word "virus" that originated from "vira" (meaning poison or venom).

Virus in Western European Languages

Albanianvirus
In Albanian, the word "virus" can also mean "poison".
Basquebirus
In Basque, "birus" also means "poison," deriving from the Proto-Basque root "*bir-," related to "bitter."
Catalanvirus
In Catalan, "virus" can also refer to a "venom" or "poison".
Croatianvirus
The word virus (Croatian: virus) originates from the Latin term meaning poison or venom.
Danishvirus
In Danish, the word "virus" can also mean "venom" or "poison".
Dutchvirus
In Dutch, "virus" also refers to a "venom" or "poisonous substance".
Englishvirus
The word "virus" comes from the Latin word "virus" meaning "poison" or "venom".
Frenchvirus
The French word “virus” can also refer to “a harmful or malevolent thing”.
Frisianfirus
The word "firus" in Frisian derives from the Latin word "virus", meaning "poison".
Galicianvirus
The Galician word "virus" also means "poison" or "toxin."
Germanvirus
The word "Virus" in German can also refer to a type of computer malware.
Icelandicveira
The word "veira" also means "line" or "seam" in Icelandic.
Irishvíreas
The Irish word 'víreas' comes from the Latin word 'virus', meaning 'poison' or 'venom'.
Italianvirus
In Italian, "virus" also means "poison" or "venom".
Luxembourgishvirus
Maltesevirus
The word 'virus' in Maltese also refers to the toxic substance released by bacteria into its surroundings.
Norwegianvirus
The word "virus" originates from the Latin word "virion" meaning "poison."
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)vírus
"Vírus" in Portuguese also means "poison" or "venom".
Scots Gaelicbhìoras
The Gaelic word `bhìoras` also means "venom" and derives from the Old Irish word *bíor," meaning "venom of a snake or serpent".
Spanishvirus
In Spanish, the word "virus" can also refer to a poison or venom.
Swedishvirus
The Swedish word "virus" can also mean "confusion" or "mess".
Welshfeirws
The word "feirws" in Welsh also means "venom" or "poison".

Virus in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianвірус
The word “вірус” (“virus”) is also used to refer to a computer virus.
Bosnianvirus
"Virus" is also the name of a mythological female figure in the folklore of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Bulgarianвирус
The word "вирус" also means "poison" in Bulgarian.
Czechvirus
The Czech word "virus" originally referred to a kind of poisonous substance
Estonianviirus
The Estonian word "viirus" is a direct borrowing from Latin "virus", which originally referred to "poison" or "venom".
Finnishvirus
The word "virus" is also used in Finnish to describe a computer virus.
Hungarianvírus
In Hungarian, the word "vírus" can also refer to a small, parasitic organism that causes disease in plants.
Latvianvīruss
Latvian "vīruss" comes from Latin "virus" meaning "poison" or "venom" and is also related to Latvian "vīr" meaning "man".
Lithuanianvirusas
In Lithuanian, "virusas" also means "poison".
Macedonianвирус
In Macedonian, the word "вирус" can also refer to a type of malware or a computer virus.
Polishwirus
The word "wirus" derives from the Latin "virus" and its original meaning referred to a poisonous substance.
Romanianvirus
The Romanian word for virus, "virus," is derived from the Latin word for poison, "virus.
Russianвирус
The Russian word "вирус" (virus) also refers to a type of computer malware.
Serbianвирус
In Serbian, the word "вирус" also refers to a computer program intended to infect and damage a computer system.
Slovakvírus
The word "vírus" in Slovak can also refer to a type of malevolent spiritual being.
Slovenianvirus
The word "virus" in Slovenian can also mean "a kind of worm, maggot, or microbe."
Ukrainianвірус
Існує також словосполучення "вірус душі", яке в переносному значенні позначає негативний духовний вплив на людину.

Virus in South Asian Languages

Bengaliভাইরাস
ভাইরাস শব্দটির অপর অর্থ হল হাস্যরস।
Gujaratiવાઇરસ
Hindiवाइरस
The word "वाइरस" (virus) comes from the Latin word "virus", meaning "poison" or "venom".
Kannadaವೈರಸ್
The Kannada word "ವೈರಸ್" (virus) is derived from the Sanskrit word "विष" (poison) and the suffix "-ус" (meaning "poisonous").
Malayalamവൈറസ്
In Malayalam, the word "വൈറസ്" can also refer to "poison" or "malice".
Marathiविषाणू
'विषाणू' originates from Sanskrit 'विष' (poison) and 'अणु' (small particle), referring to its toxic nature.
Nepaliभाइरस
The word "भाइरस" is derived from the Latin word "virus", meaning "poison" or "venom".
Punjabiਵਾਇਰਸ
The word "ਵਾਇਰਸ" (virus) in Punjabi has no alternate meanings and is derived from the Latin word "virus" meaning "poison".
Sinhala (Sinhalese)වයිරසය
"වයිරසය" (virus) is derived from the Latin word "virus," meaning "poison" or "venom."
Tamilவைரஸ்
Teluguవైరస్
The Telugu word "వైరస్" can also refer to "venomous or poisonous".
Urduوائرس
The word 'virus' also means 'antagonism' or 'evil spirit' in Persian where it originally derives from.

Virus in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)病毒
The term 病毒 (wìdú), composed of the characters 毒 ("toxin") and 毒 ("virus"), originated in ancient Chinese medicine referring to pathogenic agents
Chinese (Traditional)病毒
病毒在中文中的另一个意思是毒素或有害物質,源自於其原始含義"有毒的黏液"。
Japaneseウイルス
"ウイルス" can refer to a computer virus, in addition to its meaning as a biological virus.
Korean바이러스
"바이러스" ("virus") is also sometimes used to refer to toxic gases or toxic smoke in Korean.
Mongolianвирус
Myanmar (Burmese)ဗိုင်းရပ်စ်

Virus in South East Asian Languages

Indonesianvirus
In Indonesian, "virus" also means "poison" or "venom".
Javanesevirus
"Racun" (poison) in Javanese, although it can also refer to "an evil spirit that causes disease".
Khmerវីរុស
The Khmer term "វីរុស" is derived from the Sanskrit word "विष", meaning "poison".
Laoໄວ​ຣ​ັ​ສ
The word
Malayvirus
In Malay, "virus" can also mean "a malicious computer program that infects a computer system and damages files or data."
Thaiไวรัส
In Thai, the word "ไวรัส" comes from Sanskrit and it also means seed or poison.
Vietnamesevi-rút
"Vi-rút" is a Sino-Vietnamese term derived from the Latin word "virus", meaning "poison".
Filipino (Tagalog)virus

Virus in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanivirus
In Azerbaijani, "virus" can also refer to a type of evil spirit or supernatural being.
Kazakhвирус
The Kazakh word "вирус" comes from the Latin word "virus" meaning "poison" or "venom".
Kyrgyzвирус
In Kyrgyz language, "вирус" can also refer to someone who poisons someone else's life, either knowingly or unknowingly.
Tajikвирус
"Вирус" in Tajik came from the Latin word "virus" meaning "poison" or "toxic substance."
Turkmenwirus
Uzbekvirus
In Uzbek, "virus" can also refer to a type of computer malware.
Uyghurۋىرۇس

Virus in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianmea hoʻomaʻi
"Mea hoʻomaʻi" has multiple meanings including an illness or sickness caused by a deity or spirit.
Maorihuaketo
The Maori word 'huaketo' derives from the words 'hua' (fruit) and 'keto' (small), meaning 'small fruit'.
Samoanvairusi
The Samoan word "vairusi" is most likely derived from the Samoan word "fa'i", meaning "banana", due to viruses' banana-like shape.
Tagalog (Filipino)virus
"Virus" in Tagalog also carries the alternate meaning 'poison'.

Virus in American Indigenous Languages

Aymaravirus ukax wali askiwa
Guaranivirus rehegua

Virus in International Languages

Esperantoviruso
"Viruso" derives from the Esperanto word "veneno", meaning poison, and shares a root with the Latin word "virus".
Latinvirus
In Latin, "virus" originally meant "venom" or "poison" and was used to describe harmful substances like animal venom or plant toxins.

Virus in Others Languages

Greekιός
The Greek word "ιός" (virus) can also refer to animal poisons
Hmongkab mob vais lav
The Hmong word "kab mob vais lav" is a loanword from the Chinese word "感冒" (gǎnmào), which means "common cold".
Kurdishvîrus
The Kurdish word "vîrûs" does not have any alternate meanings; it is always a reference to a biological virus.
Turkishvirüs
"Virüs" sözcüğü Türkçede "zehir" anlamına da gelir.
Xhosaintsholongwane
In Xhosa, 'intsholongwane' is also used to refer to something tiny and almost invisible.
Yiddishוויירוס
In Yiddish, the word "וויירוס" can also mean "a poisonous snake"
Zuluigciwane
The Zulu word 'igciwane' shares a root with the word for 'small' or 'young' ('ingane'), indicating a perception of viruses as 'the little ones'.
Assameseভাইৰাছ
Aymaravirus ukax wali askiwa
Bhojpuriवायरस के बा
Dhivehiވައިރަސް އެވެ
Dogriवायरस दा
Filipino (Tagalog)virus
Guaranivirus rehegua
Ilocanovirus
Kriovayrɔs
Kurdish (Sorani)ڤایرۆس
Maithiliवायरस
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯚꯥꯏꯔꯁ ꯑꯁꯤ ꯌꯥꯑꯣꯔꯤ꯫
Mizovirus a ni
Oromovaayirasii
Odia (Oriya)ଜୀବାଣୁ
Quechuavirus nisqawan
Sanskritवायरसः
Tatarвирус
Tigrinyaቫይረስ ምዃኑ’ዩ።
Tsongaxitsongwatsongwana

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