Viral origins of the word virus

Got it! This site "creationpie.com" uses cookies. You consent to this by clicking on "Got it!" or by continuing to use this website. Note: This appears on each machine/browser from which this site is accessed.

With the spread of COVID-19 starting in 2020, the word virus is familiar to many. You may be "rusty" on the origins of the word "virus" (as translated from the Greek).

The English word "virus" comes from the PIE (Proto Indo-European) root "wison" ≈ "slime, poison".

The Middle English word "viros" ≈ "venom".
The Latin word "virus" ≈ "poison, slime, venom".

The first use of the word "virus" in a computer context was in a 1972 book by David Gerrold.

The modern Greek word "ιός" (ee-OS) ≈ "venom" which is from the ancient Greek word "ἰός" ≈ "poison, venom" which is from an older ancient Greek word "Ϝἰσός" ≈ "poison, venom" which starts with the digamma "v" or "f" sound. The ancient Greek word for "poison" as related to the English word "virus" is used eight times in the GNT (Greek New Testament) and LXX (Septuagint).

More: Greek digamma

Romans 3:13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: [kjv]

ταφος ανεωγμενος ο λαρυγξ αυτων ταις γλωσσαις αυτων εδολιουσαν ιος ασπιδων υπο τα χειλη αυτων [gnt]

… venenum … [v]

… venym … [wy]

… poyson … [ty]

The Latin word "venenum" ≈ "venom, poison".
The Sanskrit word "विष" (visa) ≈ "poison, venom".

Romans 3:13

All

KJV: Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

Greek: ταφος ανεωγμενος ο λαρυγξ αυτων ταις γλωσσαις αυτων εδολιουσαν ιος ασπιδων υπο τα χειλη αυτων

Latin: sepulchrum patens est guttur eorum linguis suis dolose agebant venenum aspidum sub labiis eorum

Wycliffe: The throte of hem is an opyn sepulcre; with her tungis thei diden gilefuli; the venym of snakis is vndur her lippis.

Tyndale: Their throte is an open sepulchre with their tounges they have disceaved: the poyson of Aspes is vnder their lippes.

James 5:3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. [kjv]

ο χρυσος υμων και ο αργυρος κατιωται και ο ιος αυτων εις μαρτυριον υμιν εσται και φαγεται τας σαρκας υμων ως πυρ εθησαυρισατε εν εσχαταις ημεραις [gnt]

In James, the word for "poison" is translated as "rust" by the KJV (King James Version).

James 5:3

All

KJV: Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

Greek: ο χρυσος υμων και ο αργυρος κατιωται και ο ιος αυτων εις μαρτυριον υμιν εσται και φαγεται τας σαρκας υμων ως πυρ εθησαυρισατε εν εσχαταις ημεραις

Latin: aurum et argentum vestrum eruginavit et erugo eorum in testimonium vobis erit et manducabit carnes vestras sicut ignis thesaurizastis in novissimis diebus

Psalms 14:3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. [kjv]

παντες εξεκλιναν αμα ηχρεωθησαν ουκ εστιν ποιων χρηστοτητα ουκ εστιν εως ενος ταφος ανεωγμενος ο λαρυγξ αυτων ταις γλωσσαις αυτων εδολιουσαν ιος ασπιδων υπο τα χειλη αυτων ων το στομα αρας και πικριας γεμει οξεις οι ποδες αυτων εκχεαι αιμα συντριμμα και ταλαιπωρια εν ταις οδοις αυτων και οδον ειρηνης ουκ εγνωσαν ουκ εστιν φοβος θεου απεναντι των οφθαλμων αυτων [lxx]

Psalms 14:3

All

KJV: They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Hebrew: הכל סר יחדו נאלחו אין עשה טוב אין גם אחד׃

Greek: παντες εξεκλιναν αμα ηχρεωθησαν ουκ εστιν ποιων χρηστοτητα ουκ εστιν εως ενος ταφος ανεωγμενος ο λαρυγξ αυτων ταις γλωσσαις αυτων εδολιουσαν ιος ασπιδων υπο τα χειλη αυτων ων το στομα αρας και πικριας γεμει οξεις οι ποδες αυτων εκχεαι αιμα συντριμμα και ταλαιπωρια εν ταις οδοις αυτων και οδον ειρηνης ουκ εγνωσαν ουκ εστιν φοβος θεου απεναντι των οφθαλμων αυτων

Psalms 140:3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah. [kjv]

ηκονησαν γλωσσαν αυτων ωσει οφεως ιος ασπιδων υπο τα χειλη αυτων διαψαλμα [lxx]

Psalms 140:3

All

KJV: They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.

Hebrew: שננו לשונם כמו נחש חמת עכשוב תחת שפתימו סלה׃

Greek: ηκονησαν γλωσσαν αυτων ωσει οφεως ιος ασπιδων υπο τα χειλη αυτων διαψαλμα

Proverbs 23:32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. [kjv]

το δε εσχατον ωσπερ υπο οφεως πεπληγως εκτεινεται και ωσπερ υπο κεραστου διαχειται αυτω ο ιος [lxx]

But at last such a one stretches himself out as one struck by a serpent, and venom is diffused through him as by a horned serpent. [bs3]

Proverbs 23:32

All

KJV: At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

Hebrew: אחריתו כנחש ישך וכצפעני יפרש׃

Greek: το δε εσχατον ωσπερ υπο οφεως πεπληγως εκτεινεται και ωσπερ υπο κεραστου διαχειται αυτω ο ιος

Brenton: But at last such a one stretches himself out as one struck by a serpent, and venom is diffused through him as by a horned serpent.

Ezekiel 24:6 Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose scum is therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it! bring it out piece by piece; let no lot fall upon it. [kjv]

δια τουτο ταδε λεγει κυριος ω πολις αιματων λεβης εν ω εστιν ιος εν αυτω και ο ιος ουκ εξηλθεν εξ αυτης κατα μελος αυτης εξηνεγκεν ουκ επεσεν επ αυτην κληρος [lxx]

… rubigo … rubigo … [v]

In Ezekiel, the word is usually translated as "scum" in the KJV.

The Latin word "rubigo" ≈ "rust" is an a fungal disease of plants.

Ezekiel 24:6

All

KJV: Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose scum is therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it! bring it out piece by piece; let no lot fall upon it.

Hebrew: לכן כה אמר אדני יהוה אוי עיר הדמים סיר אשר חלאתה בה וחלאתה לא יצאה ממנה לנתחיה לנתחיה הוציאה לא נפל עליה גורל׃

Greek: δια τουτο ταδε λεγει κυριος ω πολις αιματων λεβης εν ω εστιν ιος εν αυτω και ο ιος ουκ εξηλθεν εξ αυτης κατα μελος αυτης εξηνεγκεν ουκ επεσεν επ αυτην κληρος

Latin: propterea haec dicit Dominus Deus vae civitati sanguinum ollae cuius rubigo in ea est et rubigo eius non exivit de ea per partes et per partes suas eice eam non cecidit super eam sors

Ezekiel 24:11 Then set it empty upon the coals thereof, that the brass of it may be hot, and may burn, and that the filthiness of it may be molten in it, that the scum of it may be consumed. [kjv]

και στη επι τους ανθρακας οπως προσκαυθη και θερμανθη ο χαλκος αυτης και τακη εν μεσω ακαθαρσιας αυτης και εκλιπη ο ιος αυτης [lxx]

… rubigo … [v]

24:12 She hath wearied herself with lies, and her great scum went not forth out of her: her scum shall be in the fire. [kjv]

και ου μη εξελθη εξ αυτης πολυς ο ιος αυτης καταισχυνθησεται ο ιος αυτης [lxx]

… rubigo … [v]

Ezekiel 24:11

All

KJV: Then set it empty upon the coals thereof, that the brass of it may be hot, and may burn, and that the filthiness of it may be molten in it, that the scum of it may be consumed.

Hebrew: והעמידה על גחליה רקה למען תחם וחרה נחשתה ונתכה בתוכה טמאתה תתם חלאתה׃

Greek: και στη επι τους ανθρακας οπως προσκαυθη και θερμανθη ο χαλκος αυτης και τακη εν μεσω ακαθαρσιας αυτης και εκλιπη ο ιος αυτης

Latin: pone quoque eam super prunas vacuam ut incalescat et liquefiat aes eius et confletur in medio eius inquinamentum eius et consumatur rubigo eius

Ezekiel 24:12

All

KJV: She hath wearied herself with lies, and her great scum went not forth out of her: her scum shall be in the fire.

Hebrew: תאנים הלאת ולא תצא ממנה רבת חלאתה באש חלאתה׃

Greek: και ου μη εξελθη εξ αυτης πολυς ο ιος αυτης καταισχυνθησεται ο ιος αυτης

Latin: multo labore sudatum est et non exibit de ea nimia rubigo eius neque per ignem