phage
phage · phages · phage
A virus that is parasitic on bacteriaA virus that is parasitic on bacteria.
/feɪd͡ʒ/
Meaning
1 sensesA virus that is parasitic on bacteria.
a virus that is parasitic (reproduces itself) in bacteria
Origin
Clipping of bacteriophage from bacterio- (“bacteria”) + -phage (“eater”); latter suffix frClipping of bacteriophage from bacterio- (“bacteria”) + -phage (“eater”); latter suffix from Ancient Greek -φάγος (-phágos, “eater”), from φαγ- (phag-), aorist stem of ἐσθίω (esthíō) or ἔδω (édō, “to eat, to consume”). Stem φαγ- (phag-) may also derive from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂g- (“to divide, distribute”) thus ultimately doublet of bhakti (via Sanskrit भक्ति (bhakti, “portion, division”) from root भज् (bhaj, “to divide, to apportion”)).
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Forms
plural: phages / phageSynonyms
1 synonymsClose in meaning
- a virus that is parasitic (reproduces itself) in bacteria:bacteriophage
Word family
17 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Plural nouns — Because its plural is irregular