Meanings
bacteria1
- pluralplural of bacterium
plural bacterias
- USA 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 […]
2002, A.C. Panchdhari, Water Supply and Sanitary Installations, 2nd edition, →ISBN, page 177 - USalternativeproscribedAlternative form of bacterium.
bacteria2
Synonyms & antonyms
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
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
bacteria · noun, noun
- Ancient Greekβακτηρία (baktēría)
- Ancient Greekβακτήριον (baktḗrion)
- New Latinbactēria
- Englishbacteria
Borrowed from New Latin bacteria, plural of bactērium, from Ancient Greek βακτήριον (baktḗrion, “little rod”); by surface analysis, bacteri(um) + -a.
More words from New Latin, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →bacteria · noun
- Ancient Greekβακτηρίᾱ“rod, stick”
- New Latinbactēria
- Englishbacteria
From New Latin bactēria, from Ancient Greek βακτηρίᾱ (baktēríā, “rod, stick”).
More words from New Latin, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with bacteria
Anagrams
Cite this entry
bacteria. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bacteria
“bacteria.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bacteria. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bacteria,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bacteria.
Source: bacteria on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.