germ
UK[dʒɜːm]US[dʒɜːrm]
n
A very small living thing that can cause disease.
n
A very small amount of something that can grow or develop into a larger or more complex form.
n
The part of a plant or animal that is able to grow into a new individual, such as a seed or a fertilized egg.
Etymology
The word 'germ' entered English in the late Middle English period, borrowed directly from the Old French 'germe', which itself derived from the Latin 'germen', meaning 'sprout, bud, or embryo'. The Latin root can be traced further back to the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) root 'gen(e)-', meaning 'to give birth, beget', which is the prolific source of many words related to origin and growth, such as 'generate', 'genesis', and 'genus'. The core logic of the word's evolution lies in the conceptual link between a 'seed' (the starting point of life) and a 'microorganism' (the starting point of disease or fermentation). Thus, the modern abstract meanings of 'disease-causing microbe' and 'embryonic form' both stem from this ancient idea of a minute, potent source from which something much larger develops.
Analysis
The word 'germ' is a simplex word borrowed from Latin. It does not contain separable morphemes in its modern English spelling.
Examples
Wash your hands to avoid spreading germs.
The germ of an idea began to form in her mind.
Wheat germ is a nutritious part of the grain.