Germ (Noun)
Meaning 1
A small apparently simple structure (as a fertilized egg) from which new tissue can develop into a complete organism.
Classification
Nouns denoting body parts.
Hypernyms
Related Words
Meaning 2
A minute life form (especially a disease-causing bacterium); the term is not in technical use.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Related Words
Meaning 3
Anything that provides inspiration for later work.
Classification
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.
Examples
- The idea for the novel was just a germ of a concept at first, but it eventually blossomed into a full-fledged story.
- The artist's germ of an idea for the sculpture came from a childhood memory of playing on the beach.
- The germ of the invention was sparked by a conversation with a friend who was struggling to find a solution to a common problem.
- The writer's germ of a character was based on a combination of people she had met throughout her life.
- The germ of the idea for the business was planted during a college course on entrepreneurship.