germhypothesis
nounUK /dʒɜːm haɪˈpɒθəsɪs/
US /dʒɜːrm haɪˈpɑːθəsɪs/
The idea that tiny living things called germs make people sick.
The germ hypothesis helped doctors understand that washing hands stops sickness from spreading.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A scientific idea, later proven true, that microorganisms cause many diseases.
Scientists debated the germ hypothesis for years before accepting it as fact.
3. The belief that specific germs are responsible for specific illnesses.
The germ hypothesis explains why each disease has its own cause.
4. A starting idea in medicine that led to better cleanliness in hospitals.
Thanks to the germ hypothesis, hospitals became much cleaner places.