nitrobacterium

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any of the several genera of bacteria in soil that take part in the nitrogen cycle, oxidizing ammonium and organic nitrogen compounds to the more soluble nitrite and nitrate.

Word forms

nitrobacterium nitrobacteria

Etymology

Etymology tree Egyptian nṯrjder. Semiticbor. Ancient Greek νῐ́τρον (nĭ́tron) English nitro- Ancient Greek βᾰκτηρῐ́ᾱ (băktērĭ́ā) Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Ancient Greek -ῐος (-ĭos)? Ancient Greek -ῐον (-ĭon) Ancient Greek βακτήριον (baktḗrion)bor. New Latin bactēriumbor. English bacterium English nitrobacterium From nitro- + bacterium.

Related words

Bradyrhizobiaceae Nitrobacter Nitrobacteraceae Nitrosomonadaceae
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