Microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, or fungi that cause disease in their hosts.
From Greek 'pathos' (suffering, disease) + 'genes' (born, produced), literally meaning 'disease-producing'. Coined in the late 19th century as germ theory revolutionized understanding of disease causation.
Pathogens were named just as microscopes revealed the invisible world of disease-causing organisms, revolutionizing medicine forever. The Greek roots literally mean 'suffering-makers', which perfectly captures how these tiny entities can bring down the largest animals - it's a reminder that size doesn't determine power in biology.
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