: a lentivirus (species Simian immunodeficiency virus) that causes a disease in monkeys similar to AIDS and that is closely related to HIV-2
Word History
First Known Use
1987, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
SIV
noun
ˌes-ˌī-ˈvē
: a retrovirus of the genus Lentivirus (species Simian immunodeficiency virus) that causes a disease in monkeys similar to AIDS and that is closely related to HIV-2 of humans