non-pathogens
|non-path-o-gens|
C1
/nɒn-ˈpæθədʒənz/
(non-pathogen)
harmless microorganisms
Etymology
Etymology Information
'non-pathogen' originates from the prefix 'non-' meaning 'not' and 'pathogen' from Greek 'pathos' meaning 'suffering' and 'genes' meaning 'producer'.
Historical Evolution
'Pathogen' was derived from the Greek word 'pathogenes', and the prefix 'non-' was added to form 'non-pathogen'.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it meant 'not a producer of suffering', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
microorganisms that do not cause disease.
The laboratory is studying non-pathogens to understand their role in the ecosystem.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/02/27 19:55