viroid

noun

An infectious particle, similar to but smaller than a virus, that consists solely of a strand of RNA and is capable of causing disease in plants.

noun

plant pathogens, of the order Viroidales, that consist of just a short section of RNA but without the protein coat typical of viruses

noun

human pathogen, most notably hepatitis D.

noun

the smallest of viruses; a plant virus with its RNA arranged in a circular chromosome without a protein coat