Final answer:
The word 'virus' comes from Latin meaning 'poison', referring to their harmful effects on living organisms. Viruses are not considered living as they cannot reproduce or metabolize independently, needing a host cell to do so. They cause diseases such as influenza, measles, hepatitis, and AIDS.
Step-by-step explanation:
Virus' is Latin for poison. This term highlights the harmful nature of viruses, although they are much more complex in their interactions with living organisms. Virus refers to a tiny infectious microbe composed of genetic material, either DNA or RNA, encapsulated within a protein coat known as a capsid.
Viruses are not typically considered living because they lack many attributes of living cells, such as the ability to reproduce or metabolize on their own. They must infect a host cell and hijack its machinery to manufacture more viruses. Some of the human diseases caused by viruses include influenza, measles, hepatitis, and AIDS.