pathogen
noun
path·o·gen
ˈpa-thə-jən 
: a specific causative agent (such as a bacterium or virus) of disease
Examples of pathogen in a Sentence
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Since the ground will be fallow until the spring, the incorporated manure will have ample time to work its way into the soil while any pathogens present die off.
—
Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2025
The longer leaves stay wet, the more time conditions stay favorable for pathogens to take hold.
—Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 July 2025
Germs and disinfectants Even in a pool that’s properly treated with chlorine, some pathogens can linger for minutes to days.
—Lisa Cuchara, The Conversation, 23 July 2025
Need to know: Some pathogens spread from animals to humans
Certain animal species can be reservoir hosts for a disease—organisms where a pathogen can survive and reproduce, often without causing illness.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 July 2025
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Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2025
The longer leaves stay wet, the more time conditions stay favorable for pathogens to take hold.
—Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 July 2025
Germs and disinfectants Even in a pool that’s properly treated with chlorine, some pathogens can linger for minutes to days.
—Lisa Cuchara, The Conversation, 23 July 2025
Need to know: Some pathogens spread from animals to humans
Certain animal species can be reservoir hosts for a disease—organisms where a pathogen can survive and reproduce, often without causing illness.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pathogen
Cite this Entry
“Pathogen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pathogen. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.
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pathogen
noun
patho·gen
ˈpath-ə-jən
: a specific causative agent (as a bacterium or virus) of disease
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