Meanings
nounEpstein-Barr virus (plural Epstein-Barr viruses)
plural Epstein-Barr viruses · alternative EBV
- biologyHuman gammaherpesvirus 4, a human herpesvirus of the herpes family and the cause of infectious mononucleosis.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe herpes virus that causes infectious mononucleosis; associated with specific cancers in Africa and China
Similar
Broader
herpesherpes virus
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Named after its discoverers, Anthony Epstein and Yvonne Barr in 1964.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
Epstein-Barr virus. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Epstein-Barr%20virus
MLA
“Epstein-Barr virus.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Epstein-Barr%20virus. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Epstein-Barr virus,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Epstein-Barr%20virus.
Source: Epstein-Barr virus on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.