bacterivore

B3A1C3T1E1R1I1V4O1R1E1

noun

Any organism that ingests bacteria, whether as food or as a source of energy.

OriginLatin vorō ← Proto-Italic *worā ← Proto-Indo-European *gʷorh₃éh₂ →
Scrabble 18
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Meanings

nounbacterivore (plural bacterivores)

plural bacterivores

  1. biologyAny organism that ingests bacteria, whether as food or as a source of energy.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekβακτηρία (baktēría)
  2. Ancient Greekβακτήριον (baktḗrion)
  3. New Latinbactēria
  4. Englishbacteria
  5. Proto-Indo-European*gʷerh₃-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*gʷorh₃éh₂
  7. Proto-Italic*worā
  8. Latinvorō
  9. Englishbacterivore

From bacteria + -vore.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

bacterivore. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bacterivore

MLA

“bacterivore.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bacterivore. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bacterivore,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bacterivore.

Source: bacterivore on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.