BACTERIA

bacteria, bacterium

(noun) (microbiology) single-celled or noncellular spherical or spiral or rod-shaped organisms lacking chlorophyll that reproduce by fission; important as pathogens and for biochemical properties; taxonomy is difficult; often considered to be plants

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology 1

Noun

bacteria

plural of bacterium

bacteria (plural bacterias)

(US) A type, species, or strain of bacterium.

(US, proscribed) Alternative form of bacterium.

(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.

Etymology 2

Noun

bacteria (plural bacteriae)

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

Anagrams

• Arabetic, race-bait

Source: Wiktionary

Bac*te"ri*a, n.p.

Definition: See Bacterium.

BACTERIUM

Bac*te"ri*um, n.; pl. Bacteria. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr., , a staff: cf. F. bactérie. ] (Biol.)

Definition: A microscopic vegetable organism, belonging to the class Algæ, usually in the form of a jointed rodlike filament, and found in putrefying organic infusions. Bacteria are destitute of chlorophyll, and are the smallest of microscopic organisms. They are very widely diffused in nature, and multiply with marvelous rapidity, both by fission and by spores. Certain species are active agents in fermentation, while others appear to be the cause of certain infectious diseases. See Bacillus.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition