provirus

P3R1O1V4I1R1U1S1

noun

A virus genome, such as HIV, that integrates itself into the DNA of a host cell so as to be passively replicated along with the host genome.

OriginEnglish virus ← Middle English virus ← Latin vīrus →
UncommonScrabble 13
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Meanings

nounprovirus (plural proviruses)

plural proviruses

  1. biologyA virus genome, such as HIV, that integrates itself into the DNA of a host cell so as to be passively replicated along with the host genome.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*per-der.?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*pér
  3. Proto-Indo-European*pró
  4. Ancient Greekπρό (pró)
  5. Englishpro-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*weys-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*wisós
  8. Proto-Italic*weizos
  9. Latinvīrus
  10. Middle Englishvirus
  11. Englishvirus
  12. Englishprovirus

From pro- + virus.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

provirus. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/provirus

MLA

“provirus.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/provirus. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “provirus,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/provirus.

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