Word Study
retrovirus
WORDNET DICTIONARY
Noun retrovirus has 1 sense
- retrovirus(n = noun.animal) Array - any of a group of viruses that contain two single-strand linear RNA molecules per virion and reverse transcriptase (RNA to DNA); the virus transcribes its RNA into a cDNA provirus that is then incorporated into the host cell; Array is a kind of animal virus
has particulars: htlv-1, human t-cell leukemia virus-1, hiv, human immunodeficiency virus
OXFORD DICTIONARY
retrovirus, n. Biol. any of a group of RNA viruses which form DNA during the replication of their RNA.
Etymology
mod.L f. initial letters of reverse transcriptase + VIRUS
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