cyanobacteria
|cy-a-no-bac-te-ri-a|
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/ˌsaɪənoʊbækˈtɪriə/
🇬🇧
/ˌsaɪənəʊbækˈtɪəriə/
(cyanobacterium)
blue-green photosynthetic bacteria
Etymology
'cyanobacteria' originates from Modern New Latin and Greek combining forms: 'cyano-' from Greek 'kyanos' meaning 'dark blue' and 'bacteria' from Greek 'bakterion' meaning 'small staff' or 'rod'.
The organisms were long called 'blue-green algae' in older literature; as understanding of their prokaryotic nature grew they were reclassified under bacterial taxonomy and the New Latin term 'cyanobacteria' (singular 'cyanobacterium') came into standard scientific use.
Initially treated as algae (hence the common name 'blue-green algae'), the term's usage shifted as these organisms were recognized as photosynthetic bacteria; today it denotes the bacterial phylum performing oxygenic photosynthesis.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'cyanobacterium': photosynthetic bacteria of the phylum Cyanobacteria, often blue-green in color, capable of oxygenic (oxygen-producing) photosynthesis and found in freshwater, marine, and terrestrial environments.
Cyanobacteria were among the first organisms to perform oxygenic photosynthesis.
Synonyms
Noun 2
dense populations of cyanobacteria that form visible blooms in lakes, rivers, or coastal waters; some blooms produce cyanotoxins that can be harmful to humans, livestock, and wildlife.
Toxic cyanobacteria blooms forced the town to close its reservoir to the public.
Synonyms
Noun 3
ancient cyanobacteria are significant in Earth's history for oxygenating the atmosphere (the Great Oxygenation Event) and for forming fossil structures such as stromatolites.
Fossils interpreted as cyanobacteria provide some of the oldest evidence of life on Earth.
Last updated: 2025/08/15 04:23