Etymology of Taxon Names
The information below provides a list containing descriptions of the origins of ICTV taxon names starting at the rank of realm and going down to the rank of family. This information is derived from the proposals that were submitted when each taxon was created. Links to these proposals, links to ICTV report chapters, and links to publications (through PMIDs) are provided when available.
We thank Stuart Siddell for compiling this list of name origins. Etymological information for taxa below the rank of family, can be found in the relevant ICTV Online (10th) Report chapters. If you have any comments or corrections, please contact us by sending an email to [email protected].
Filter the list of name origins using the selection options below:
Volvereviria
Lineage: Volvereviria | Sangervirae | Phixviricota | Microviricetes | Gokushovirales | Sukshmaviridae
Proposal: 2025.043B.Microviricetes_reorg.zip
Etymology: from the Sanskrit सूक्ष्म (sukschma), meaning "minute", referring to the size of virus genomes in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Volvereviria | Sangervirae | Phixviricota | Microviricetes | Reekeekeevirales
Proposal: 2025.043B.Microviricetes_reorg.zip
Etymology: from reekeekee, a phonic, English-style spelling of the French word riquiqui, meaning "small", referring to the size of virus genomes in the order; the suffix -virales for order taxa
Lineage: Volvereviria | Sangervirae | Phixviricota | Microviricetes | Reekeekeevirales | Osikeviridae
Proposal: 2025.043B.Microviricetes_reorg.zip
Etymology: from the Molengue (Equatorial Guinea, Gabon) osike, meaning "small", referring to the size of virus genomes in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Volvereviria | Sangervirae | Phixviricota | Microviricetes | Roodoodoovirales
Proposal: 2025.043B.Microviricetes_reorg.zip
Etymology: from roo-doo-doo, a phonic, English-style spelling of the French word roudoudou, referring to a small sweet and referencing the the size of virus genomes in the order; the suffix -virales for order taxa
Lineage: Volvereviria | Sangervirae | Phixviricota | Microviricetes | Roodoodoovirales | Kidogoviridae
Proposal: 2025.043B.Microviricetes_reorg.zip
Etymology: from the Swahili (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania) kidogo, meaning "a little", referring to the size of the genomes of viruses in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Volvereviria | Sangervirae | Phixviricota | Microviricetes | Secretvirales
Proposal: 2025.043B.Microviricetes_reorg.zip
Etymology: from the English secret, meaning ‘hidden’ referring to two families in the order that were only discovered lately; the suffix -virales for order taxa
Lineage: Volvereviria | Sangervirae | Phixviricota | Microviricetes | Secretvirales | Chicoviridae
Proposal: 2025.043B.Microviricetes_reorg.zip
Etymology: from the Spanish chico, meaning "small", referring to the size of virus genomes in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Volvereviria | Sangervirae | Phixviricota | Microviricetes | Secretvirales | Occultatumviridae
Proposal: 2025.043B.Microviricetes_reorg.zip
Etymology: from the Latin occultatum, meaning “hidden”, referring to a group of virus discovered lately; the suffix -viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Volvereviria | Sangervirae | Phixviricota | Microviricetes | Secretvirales | Tainaviridae
Proposal: 2025.043B.Microviricetes_reorg.zip
Etymology: from the Romanian taină (taina), meaning "secret", referring to a group of virus discovered lately; the suffix -viridae for family taxa
Unassigned
Lineage: Naldaviricetes
Proposal: 2020.006D.R.Naldaviricetes.zip
Etymology: from NALDV meaning "nuclear arthropod large DNA viruses; the suffix ‑viricetes for class taxa
Lineage: Naldaviricetes | Lefavirales
Proposal: 2020.006D.R.Naldaviricetes.zip
Etymology: from “late expression factor”, referring to genes identified in a screen for ORFs required for, or supporting, late-phase baculovirus transcription; the suffix -virales for order taxa
Lineage: Naldaviricetes | Lefavirales | Baculoviridae
Proposal: Ratification_1975.pdf
Report Chapter: Baculoviridae
PubMed ID: 16648963
Etymology: from the Latin baculus, meaning “stick", referring to the morphology of virions of viruses in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Naldaviricetes | Lefavirales | Filamentoviridae
Proposal: 2024.007D.Filamentoviridae_1nf_2ngen_3nsp.zip
Etymology: from the Latin filamentum, meaning “filament”, referring to the filamentous-shape of virus particles observed in infected tissues; the suffix –viridae for family taxa.
Lineage: Naldaviricetes | Lefavirales | Hytrosaviridae
Proposal: 2009.001a-kI.A.v4.Hytrosaviridae.pdf
Report Chapter: Hytrosaviridae
Etymology: from the Ancient Greek ὑπέρ (hupér), meaning, “excessive” and τροφή (trophḗ), meaning “nourishment", and sialoadenitis, meaning salivary gland inflammation referring to the salivary gland hypertrophy in hosts infected by viruses in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Naldaviricetes | Lefavirales | Nudiviridae
Proposal: 2013.003a-kI.A.v1.Nudiviridae.pdf
Report Chapter: Nudiviridae
Etymology: from the Latin nudus, meaning "naked", part of a previously used name nudibaculovirus, describing viruses with rod-shaped nucleocapsids lacking a protein matrix such as polyhedrin or granulin; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Naldaviricetes | Nimaviridae
Proposal: Ratification_2002a.pdf
Report Chapter: Nimaviridae
PubMed ID: 30404800
Etymology: from the Hebrew nima, meaning “thread”, referring to the thread- or tail-like polar extension (appendage) on virions of some viruses in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Alphasatellitidae
Proposal: 2017.004P.A.v4.Alphasatellitidae.zip
Etymology: from the Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha), the first letter of the Greek alphabet and the Latin satellit, meaning "attendent", referring to mobile genetic elements that are dependent upon a helper virus to spread. The suffix -satelittidae is used for satelitte family taxa
Lineage: Ampullaviridae
Proposal: 2005.088B.04.Ampullaviridae.pdf
Report Chapter: Ampullaviridae
Etymology: from the Latin ampulla, meaning "bottle", referring to the unique bottle-shaped morphology of the virion; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Avsunviroidae
Proposal: Ratification_1998.pdf
Report Chapter: Avsunviroidae
PubMed ID: 11050945
Etymology: from a member of the family, Avocado sunblotch viroid, an infectious agent consisting only of naked RNA; the suffix -viroidae is used for viroid family taxa
Lineage: Bartogtaviriformidae
Proposal: 2022.001G.GTA_viriforms.zip
Etymology: from the host genus name Bartonella and gene transfer agent; the suffix -viriformidae is used for viriform family taxa
Lineage: Basaltiviridae
Proposal: 2025.001A.Crust_viruses_6nf.zip
Etymology: from the Latin basaltes, meaning "basalt", referring to the environment in which these viruses were found; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Bicaudaviridae
Proposal: 2007.090-2B.Bicaudaviridae.pdf
Report Chapter: Bicaudaviridae
Etymology: from the Latin bi meaning "two" and the Latin cauda meaning " tail", referring to the virion morhologlogy of viruses in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Brachygtaviriformidae
Proposal: 2022.001G.GTA_viriforms.zip
Etymology: from the host genus name Brachyspira and gene transfer agent; the suffix -viriformidae is used for viriform family taxa
Lineage: Clavaviridae
Proposal: 2010.002a-gB.A.v2.Clavaviridae.pdf
Report Chapter: Clavaviridae
Etymology: from Latin clava, meaning "club" or "stick", referring to the rigid, bacilliform virion morphology of viruses in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Eurekaviridae
Proposal: 2024.007A.Eurekaviridae_newfam.zip
Etymology: from the Greek Eureka meaning “I have found it”, also the name of common variety of lemons, reminiscent of the virion shape; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Fuselloviridae
Proposal: Ratification_1990.pdf
Report Chapter: Fuselloviridae
PubMed ID: 7903037
Etymology: from the Latin fusillo, meaning "little spindle", referring to the virion morphology of viruses in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Globuloviridae
Proposal: 2005.081-3B.04.Globuloviridae.pdf
Report Chapter: Globuloviridae
Etymology: from the Latin globulus, meaning “small ball”, referring to the virion morphology of viruses in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Guttaviridae
Proposal: 2003.Bxxx.Prokaryote.pdf
Report Chapter: Guttaviridae
Etymology: from the Latin gutta, meaning "drop", referring to the droplet-shaped virion morphology of viruses in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Halspiviridae
Proposal: 2019.059B.zip
Report Chapter: Halspiviridae
Etymology: from halophilic, referring to the halophilic archaeal hosts of viruses in the family and spindle-shaped, referring to virion morphology of viruses in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Huangdiviridae
Proposal: 2024.005A.Bathyarchaeia_4newfam.zip
Etymology: from Huangdi, the legendary Chinese sovereign often associated with important inventions; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Itzamnaviridae
Proposal: 2022.001A.Nakonvirales_Maximonvirales_Coyopavirales_3no.zip
Etymology: from Itzamna, Lord of the Heavens as well as night and day in the Mayan mythology; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa; connection unclear
Lineage: Lomiviridae
Proposal: 2025.005A.Spindle-shaped_viruses_2nf_3ns.zip
Etymology: from the Amharic ሎሚ (lomi), meaning "lemon", referring to the morphology of viruses in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Nipumfusiviridae
Proposal: 2024.003A.Nipumfusiviridae_newfam.zip
Report Chapter: Nipumfusiviridae
Etymology: from the deduced host Nitrosopumilaceae and from the Latin fusi meaning spindles referring to the the possible morphology; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Obscuriviridae
Proposal: 2024.025B.Obscuriviridae_1nf_2ng_3ns.zip
Etymology: from the Latin obscurus, meaning ambiguous or uncertain, referring to unresolved status of the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Ovaliviridae
Proposal: 2018.104B.A.v1.Ovaliviridae.zip
Report Chapter: Ovaliviridae
Etymology: from the Latin ovalis, meaning "egg shaped", referring to the virion capsid architechture of viruses in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Plasmaviridae
Proposal: Ratification_1978.pdf
Report Chapter: Plasmaviridae
PubMed ID: 2982026
Etymology: from the Ancient Greek πλάσμα (plásma), meaning “something formed”, referring to the plastic virion shape of viruses in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Polydnaviriformidae
Proposal: 2021.006D.R.Polydnaviriformidae_1renfam_3rensp.zip
Etymology: from the Ancient Greek πολύς (polús), meaning “many" and DNA for deoxyribonucleic acid, referring to the multiple segments of dsDNA genomes of agents in the family; the suffix -viriformidae is used for viriform family taxa
Lineage: Portogloboviridae
Proposal: 2017.002B.A.v2.Portogloboviridae.zip
Report Chapter: Portogloboviridae
Etymology: from the Latin portare, meaning ‘to carry’ and globus, meaning ‘a ball’, referring to the round shape of the nucleoprotein virion core of viruses in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Pospiviroidae
Proposal: Ratification_1998.pdf
Report Chapter: Pospiviroidae
PubMed ID: 9572562
Etymology: from a member of the family, potato spindle tuber viroid, an infectious agent consisting only of naked RNA; the suffix -viroidae for viroid family taxa
Lineage: Rhodogtaviriformidae
Proposal: 2022.001G.GTA_viriforms.zip
Etymology: from the host order name Rhodobacterales and gene transfer agent; the suffix -viriformidae is used for viriform family taxa
Lineage: Spiraviridae
Proposal: 2013.003a-gB.A.v3.Spiraviridae.pdf
Report Chapter: Spiraviridae
Etymology: from the Latin spira, meaning “coil”, referring to virion morphology of viruses in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Thaspiviridae
Proposal: 2019.092B.zip
Report Chapter: Thaspiviridae
Etymology: from thaumarchaeal and spindle-shaped virus, referring to the host and virion morphology of viruses in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Tolecusatellitidae
Proposal: 2016.021a-kP.A.v2.Tolecusatellitidae.pdf
Etymology: from tomato leaf curl virus satellite, the first DNA satellite shown to be associated with geminiviruses and the Latin satellit, meaning "attendent", referring to mobile genetic elements that are dependent upon a helper virus to spread. The suffix -satellitidae is used for satellite family taxa
Lineage: Xigoviridae
Proposal: 2025.005A.Spindle-shaped_viruses_2nf_3ns.zip
Etymology: from the Afar xigô (xigo), meaning "lemon", referring to the morphology of viruses in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa
Lineage: Yamazakiviridae
Proposal: 2025.006A.Yamazakiviridae_1nf.zip
Etymology: to honour Syuji Yamazaki, the Japanese microbiologist for his pioneering work on Aeropyrum pernix, the host of Aeropyrum pernix spindle-shaped virus 1; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa
