human immunodeficiency virus

/ˌ(h)jumən ˈɪmjənoʊdəˌfɪʃənsi ˌvaɪrəs/

Definitions of human immunodeficiency virus

1. noun

   the virus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS); it replicates in and kills the helper T cells
   synonyms: HIV

   type of:

   retrovirus

   any of a group of viruses that contain two single-strand linear RNA molecules per virion and reverse transcriptase (RNA to DNA); the virus transcribes its RNA into a cDNA provirus that is then incorporated into the host cell