penicillium

[ pen-uh-sil-ee-uhm ]

noun,plural pen·i·cil·li·ums, pen·i·cil·li·a [pen-uh-sil-ee-uh]. /ˌpɛn əˈsɪl i ə/.
  1. any fungus of the genus Penicillium, certain species of which are used in cheesemaking and as the source of penicillin.

Origin of penicillium

1
1925–30; <New Latin, equivalent to Latin pēnicill(us) brush (see pencil) + -ium-ium

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British Dictionary definitions for penicillium

penicillium

/ (ˌpɛnɪˈsɪlɪəm) /


nounplural -cilliums or -cillia (-ˈsɪlɪə)
  1. any ascomycetous saprotrophic fungus of the genus Penicillium, which commonly grow as a green or blue mould on stale food: some species are used in cheese-making and others as a source of penicillin

Origin of penicillium

1
C19: New Latin, from Latin pēnicillus tuft of hairs; named from the tufted appearance of the sporangia of this fungus

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for penicillium

penicillium

[ pĕn′ĭ-sĭlē-əm ]


Plural penicilliums penicillia
  1. Any of various bluish-green fungi of the genus Penicillium, that grow as molds on decaying fruits, ripening cheeses, and bread, and are used to produce penicillin and certain other antibiotics.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.