Virulency

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Virulence \Vir"u*lence\, Virulency \Vir"u*len*cy\, n. [Cf. F.
     virulence, L. virulentia an offensive odor, a stench.]
     1. The quality or state of being virulent or venomous;
        poisonousness; malignancy.
        [1913 Webster]
  


     2. Extreme bitterness or malignity of disposition. "Refuted
        without satirical virulency." --Barrow.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The virulence of one declaimer, or the profundities
              and sublimities of the other.         --I. Taylor.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  virulency
       n 1: extreme harmfulness (as the capacity of a microorganism to
            cause disease); "the virulence of the plague" [syn: {virulence}]
       2: extreme hostility; "the virulence of the malicious old man"
          [syn: {virulence}]