Where does “viral” come from?

Viral is an English adjective derived from Latin virus, meaning poison or venom, combined with the English suffix -al.

viral (English): Of or relating to a biological virus; Caused by a...

Definitions

  1. Of or relating to a biological virus; Caused by a...

Ancestry of “viral”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1English-álOf or pertaining to. Adjectival suffix appended to various words, often nouns, to produce an adjective form. Often added to words of Latin origin, but used with other words also
2EnglishaldehydeAny of a large class of reactive organic...
3GermanAldehydaldehyde
4Latinalcoholkohl, collyrium, stibium; any other powder...
5Andalusian Arabicكُحُول
6Arabicكحلantimony; kohl, stibnite; black coloring of the...
7Arabicكُحْلantimony; kohl, stibnite
8Akkadianguḫlumkohl, antimony paste

Words derived from “viral

Every word from Akkadian guḫlum