gérmen

Gérmen is a seldom-used variant of the French noun germe, meaning a germ, embryo, or sprout. It appears primarily in historical texts and in some technical or literary contexts as an archaism. The form gérmen derives from Latin germen, meaning “sprout” or “bud,” and entered French in the early modern period. In contemporary French, germe is the standard term, while gérmen is largely confined to antiquarian or stylistic uses.

In practice, gérmen is encountered mainly by readers studying old scientific works, botanical writings, or authors who intentionally employ archaisms. Modern biology and everyday language prefer germe or, more specifically, embryo or seed when appropriate. In English, germen is largely archaic and appears only in historical or literary contexts; the current standard word is germ.

The term is of interest chiefly to philologists, lexicographers, and historians of science, as it illustrates shifts in spelling and terminology from earlier French to modern usage. See also germe, germination, and embryo for related concepts.