Term virus means-

Options

A. Non-cellular
B. A parasite
C. A killer
D. Venom or poison

Answer

To answer the question "What does the term virus mean?", we can break down the explanation step by step:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding the Origin of the Term**:
- The term "virus" originates from Latin, meaning "poison" or "venom". This indicates that historically, viruses were associated with harmful substances.

2. **Definition of Virus**:
- A virus is defined as an inactive particle composed of nucleoprotein. This means it is not a living organism in the traditional sense, as it does not have cellular structure.

3. **Structure of a Virus**:
- Viruses consist of nucleic acid (which can be either RNA or DNA) surrounded by a protein coat known as a capsid. This structural information is essential to understand what a virus is.

4. **Characteristics of Viruses**:
- Viruses are classified as obligate parasites. This means they require a host cell to replicate and cannot reproduce independently. They are specific to certain hosts, meaning not all organisms can be infected by the same virus.

5. **Common Misconceptions**:
- The term virus is often confused with other terms like "non-cellular", "parasite", "killer", or "venom". While viruses do exhibit parasitic behavior, the term itself specifically relates to their historical meaning as a "poisonous fluid".

6. **Conclusion**:
- Therefore, the correct interpretation of the term "virus" aligns with its Latin roots referring to a poisonous or infectious fluid, rather than strictly defining it as a non-cellular entity or a parasite.

### Final Answer:
The term "virus" means "poisonous fluid" or "venom", derived from Latin, and refers to infectious particles that are obligate parasites.