antiviral

A1N1T1I1V4I1R1A1L1
/æntiˈvaɪɹəl/

adjective

Inhibiting the growth and reproduction of a virus.

Similar
antiviral agentantiviral drug
OriginEnglish viral ← Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? ← Middle English virus →
Less commonScrabble 12
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Meanings

adjectiveantiviral (not comparable)

alternative anti-viral

  1. not comparablemedicineInhibiting the growth and reproduction of a virus.
  2. not comparablecomputingEliminating or inhibiting the action of a computer virus.
nounantiviral (plural antivirals)

plural antivirals

  1. medicineAn antiviral medication.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounany drug that destroys viruses

Similar
antiviral agentantiviral drug
Broader
medicinemedicationmedicament
Also see
virostatic

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ent-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂énts
  3. Proto-Indo-European*h₂énti
  4. Ancient Greekᾰ̓ντῐ́ (ăntĭ́)
  5. Ancient Greekἀντι- (anti-)
  6. Englishanti-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*weys-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*wisós
  9. Proto-Italic*weizos
  10. Latinvīrus
  11. Middle Englishvirus
  12. Englishvirus
  13. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  14. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  15. Englishviral
  16. Englishantiviral

From anti- + viral.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic مضاد للفيروسات
  • مضاد للفيروساتantiviral medication
Catalan antivíric, antivirus
  • antivíricmedicine
  • antiviruscomputing
Czech protivirový
  • protivirovýmedicine
German antiviral, Virustatikum
  • antiviralmedicine
  • Virustatikumantiviral medication
  • Viruzidantiviral medication
Greek αντιιικός, αντιικός
  • αντιιικός (antiiikós)medicine
  • αντιικός (antiikós)medicine
  • αντιιικός (antiiikós)computing
  • αντιικός (antiikós)computing
Italian antivirale
  • antiviralemedicine
Māori patu huaketo, ārai wheori
  • patu huaketomedicine
  • ārai wheorimedicine
  • ārai huaketomedicine
  • patu ngārara (rorohiko)computing
  • (rongoā) patu huaketoantiviral medication
  • (rongoā) ārai wheoriantiviral medication
Polish przeciwwirusowy, antywirusowy
  • przeciwwirusowymedicine
  • antywirusowymedicine
  • przeciwwirusowycomputing
  • antywirusowycomputing
  • środek przeciwwirusowyantiviral medication
Portuguese antiviral
  • antiviralmedicine
Russian противови́русный, антиви́русный
  • противови́русный (protivovírusnyj)medicine
  • антиви́русный (antivírusnyj)medicine
  • антиви́русный (antivírusnyj)computing
Spanish antivírico, antivirus
  • antivíricomedicine
  • antiviruscomputing
Vietnamese kháng vi-rút, kháng siêu vi
  • kháng vi-rútmedicine
  • kháng siêu vimedicine
  • kháng siêu vi khuẩnmedicine
  • kháng siêu vi trùngmedicine
  • thuốc kháng vi-rútantiviral medication
  • thuốc kháng siêu viantiviral medication
  • thuốc kháng siêu vi khuẩnantiviral medication
  • thuốc kháng siêu vi trùngantiviral medication
Cite this entry
APA

antiviral. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antiviral

MLA

“antiviral.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antiviral. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “antiviral,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antiviral.

Source: antiviral on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.