Streptococcus

Origin

Morphologically a compound of - + coccus + -. They grow in chains or pairs, thus the name — from Ancient Greek στρεπτός (streptos, "twisted, pliant"), like a chain.

Full definition of streptococcus

Noun

1. A spherical, gram-positive bacterium of the genus Streptococcus. Although commonly found benignly in the human mouth and gut, and though many species are non-pathogenic, other species can cause diseases including strep throat and more serious conditions.

Related terms

• coccus

Derived terms

• strep
• strep throat