Langimage
English

bacteria

|bac/te/ri/a|

B2

/bækˈtɪəriə/

(bacterium)

single-celled microorganism

Base FormPluralAdjective
bacteriumbacteriabacterial
Etymology
Etymology Information

'bacteria' originates from the Greek word 'bakterion,' which is a diminutive of 'bakteria,' meaning 'staff, cane.'

Historical Evolution

'bakterion' transformed into the Latin word 'bacterium,' and eventually became the modern English word 'bacteria.'

Meaning Changes

Initially, it referred to a small rod or staff, but over time it evolved into its current meaning of microscopic organisms.

Meanings by Part of Speech

Noun 1

microscopic single-celled organisms that can be found in diverse environments. They can be beneficial or harmful to humans, animals, and plants.

Bacteria can be found in soil, water, and even in the human body.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Last updated: 2025/02/22 13:38