HIV

1.
human immunodeficiency virus.
See under .
noun
1.
a variable retrovirus that invades and inactivates helper T cells of the immune system and is a cause of AIDS and AIDS-related complex: variants were identified in several laboratories and independently named lymphadenopathy-associated virus (LAV) human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 3 (HTLV-3) and AIDS-related virus (ARV) the name human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) being subsequently proposed by an international taxonomy committee.
abbreviation
1.
human immunodeficiency virus; the cause of AIDS. Two strains have been identified: HIV-1 and HIV-2
n.

1986, initialism from human immunodeficiency virus, name for either of the two viruses that cause AIDS.

HIV (āch’ī-vē’)
n.
Human immunodeficiency virus; a cytopathic retrovirus that is the cause of AIDS. Also called AIDS-related virus, human T-cell leukemia virus type III, human T-cell lymphotrophic virus type III, lymphadenopathy-associated virus.
HIV
(āch’ī-vē’)
Short for human immunodeficiency virus. Any of various strains of a retrovirus of the genus Lentivirus that cause AIDS by infecting the body’s immune system.
HIV [(aych-eye-vee)]

An abbreviation for human immunodeficiency virus, the virus that causes AIDS.
human immunodeficiency virus