Bacteria

Pronunciation

• US IPA: /bækˈtɪɹ.i.É™/
• UK IPA: /bækˈtɪəɹ.ɪə/

From New Latin bacteria, plural of bacterium, from Ancient Greek βακτήριον (baktērion), neuter diminutive of βακτηρία (baktēria, "rod, stick").

Noun

noun

1. Plural of bacterium
2. (US) A type, species, or strain of bacterium
• Anaerobic bacteria function in the absence of oxygen, where as aerobic bacteria require sunlight and also oxygen. Both these bacterias are capable of breaking down the organic matter ...
3. (US, proscribed) Alternative form of bacterium
4. (pejorative, slang) A derisive term for a lowlife or a slob (could be treated as plural or singular).

Usage notes

This is the plural form of the word. While it is often used as if it were singular (as a collective noun), this is considered nonstandard by some in the US and more elsewhere. See the usage examples under bacterium.

Derived terms

• Bacteria
• Eubacteria
• Archaebacteria
  Archebacteria
• eubacteria
• archaebacteria
  archebacteria

From New Latin bacteria, from Ancient Greek βακτηρία (baktēria, "rod, stick").

Full definition of bacteria

Noun

1. (dated, medicine) An oval bacterium, as distinguished from a spherical coccus or rod-shaped bacillus

Anagrams

• Arabetic
• race-bait