English Meaning & Definitions
Software designed to detect, prevent, and remove malicious software (malware) such as viruses, trojans, and worms from computers and mobile devices.
- “Make sure your computer has an up-to-date antivirus installed before browsing the web.”
- “The antivirus successfully quarantined three infected files during the routine system scan.”
Designed or used to prevent or eradicate computer viruses.
- “She purchased an annual subscription for the antivirus protection plan.”
- “The IT department deployed antivirus software across all corporate laptops.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “antivirus”.
Coined in the late 20th century, the word combines the prefix 'anti-' (derived from Greek, meaning 'against' or 'opposite') with 'virus' (from Latin, meaning 'poison' or 'slimy liquid', later adopted in computing to describe self-replicating malicious software). Originally used in biology, it shifted heavily into computing vocabulary with the rise of personal computers and malware in the 1980s and 1990s.
Think of 'Anti' (against) + 'Virus' (computer sickness): it is the medicine that protects your computer from digital illness.
Frequently Asked Questions About “antivirus”
1. What is the meaning of “antivirus” in English?
In English, antivirus (noun) is defined as: “Software designed to detect, prevent, and remove malicious software (malware) such as viruses, trojans, and worms from computers and mobile devices.”.
2. How do you use “antivirus” in a sentence?
“Make sure your computer has an up-to-date antivirus installed before browsing the web.”
3. What are English synonyms of “antivirus”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “antivirus”?
Coined in the late 20th century, the word combines the prefix 'anti-' (derived from Greek, meaning 'against' or 'opposite') with 'virus' (from Latin, meaning 'poison' or 'slimy liquid', later adopted in computing to describe self-replicating malicious software). Originally used in biology, it shifted heavily into computing vocabulary with the rise of personal computers and malware in the 1980s and 1990s.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.