English Explanatory Dictionary

bacillus

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any of various rod-shaped, spore-forming aerobic bacteria in the genus Bacillus, some of which cause disease.
  2. Any bacilliform (rod-shaped) bacterium.
  3. Something which spreads like bacterial infection.

Pronunciation

/bæˈsɪl.əs/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vininn126-bacillus.wav

Word forms

bacillus bacilli

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin bacillus (“little staff, wand”), diminutive of baculum (“stick, staff, walking stick”).

Derived words

Actinobacillus bacillicidal bacillicide bacilliferous colibacillus comma bacillus Döderlein's bacillus Eberth's bacillus Klebs-Löffler bacillus Koch's bacillus microbacillus thiobacillus
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