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View synonyms for bacteria

bacteria

1

[ bak-teer-ee-uh ]

plural noun

, Microbiology.
, singular bac·te·ri·um [bak-, teer, -ee-, uh, m].
  1. ubiquitous one-celled organisms, spherical, spiral, or rod-shaped and appearing singly or in chains, comprising numerous and variously classified phyla: among the inestimable number of species are those involved in fermentation, putrefaction, infectious diseases, and nitrogen fixation.


Bacteria

2

[ bak-teer-ee-uh ]

noun

, (used with a singular or plural verb)
  1. (in the three-domain system of classification) the taxonomic domain comprising the bacteria.

bacteria

/ bækˈtɪərɪə /

plural noun

  1. a very large group of microorganisms comprising one of the three domains of living organisms. They are prokaryotic, unicellular, and either free-living in soil or water or parasites of plants or animals See also prokaryote


bacteria

  1. sing. bacterium Microorganisms made up of a single cell that has no distinct nucleus . Bacteria reproduce by fission or by forming spores .


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Notes

Some bacteria are beneficial to humans (for example, those that live in the stomach and aid digestion ), and some are harmful (for example, those that cause disease).

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Derived Forms

  • bacˈterial, adjective
  • bacˈterially, adverb

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Other Words From

  • bac·teri·al adjective
  • bac·teri·al·ly adverb
  • nonbac·teri·al adjective
  • nonbac·teri·al·ly adverb

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Word History and Origins

Origin of bacteria1

First recorded in 1860–65; from New Latin, from Greek baktḗria, plural of baktḗrion, diminutive of baktēría “staff, cane”; bacterium

Origin of bacteria2

First recorded in 1860–65; from New Latin; bacteria ( def )

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Word History and Origins

Origin of bacteria1

C19: plural of New Latin bacterium , from Greek baktērion , literally: a little stick, from baktron rod, staff

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Example Sentences

The more antibiotics are used inappropriately, the greater the risk of bacteria growing resistant to them.

What specific bacteria and viruses can be detected in the sewage?

If all animals vanished, most bacteria would still live on, but if all bacteria disappeared, we would die quickly.

A new book focuses on gut bacteria as the key to a healthy weight.

But consider that when we eat, the bacteria are actually fed first.

Bacteria, when present in great numbers, give a uniform cloud which cannot be removed by ordinary filtration.

It is to be remembered, however, that a few of these bacteria may reach the sputum from the upper air-passages.

Bacteria of various kinds, especially staphylococci, are usually numerous.

They are able to migrate readily from place to place and to ingest small bodies, as bacteria.

Undiluted normal blood can agglutinate most bacteria, but loses this power when diluted to any considerable degree.

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bacteri-bacteria bed