Germ

1. (n.) That which is to develop a new individual; as, the germ of a fetus, of a plant or flower, and the like; the earliest form under which an organism appears.
2. (n.) That from which anything springs; origin; first principle; as, the germ of civil liberty.
3. (v. i.) To germinate.
4. (n.) The germ cells, collectively, as distinguished from the somatic cells, or soma. is often used in place of germinal to form phrases; as, germ area, germ disc, germ membrane, germ nucleus, germ sac, etc.