Virucides

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A substance that specifically kills or inactivates viruses
2. A type of agent utilized to reduce or eliminate viral pathogens
3. A chemical or biological compound designed to eradicate viruses from surfaces or biological systems

Etymology: "Virucides" is simply the plural of "virucide," a substance that kills viruses. The singular is built from the Latin "virus," meaning poison or venom, and the English suffix "-cide," from Latin "caedere," to kill, as in "insecticide" and "homicide." Writers and chemists formed the word by combining these parts, so the plural follows the usual English pattern of adding -s to the singular.