Lexic.us

Definition of Bacteria

1. 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.

Definition of Bacteria

1. n. pl. See Bacterium.

Definition of Bacteria

1. Noun. (plural of bacterium) ¹

2. Noun. (American English) A type, species, or strain of bacterium ¹

3. Noun. (US proscribed) (alternative form of bacterium) ¹

4. Noun. (pejorative slang) A derisive term for a lowlife or a slob (could be treated as plural or singular). ¹

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

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Bacteria

1. bacterium [n -S] - See also: bacterium

Medical Definition of Bacteria

1. One of the two major classes of prokaryotic organism (the other being the Cyanobacteria). Bacteria are small (linear dimensions of around 1 m), noncompartmentalised, with circular DNA and ribosomes of 70S. Protein synthesis differs from that of eukaryotes and many antibacterial antibiotics interfere with protein synthesis, but do not affect the infected host. Recently bacteria have been subdivided into Eubacteria and Archaebacteria, although some would consider the Archaebacteria to be a third kingdom, distinct from both Eubacteria and Eukaryotes. The Eubacteria can be further subdivided on the basis of their staining using Gram stain. Since the difference between gram-positive and gram-negative depends upon a fundamental difference in cell wall structure it is therefore more soundly based than classification on gross morphology alone (into cocci, bacilli, etc.). (02 Jan 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Bacteria

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