Subscriber login


Forgot your password?

Library card login

Other

penicillium


Definition of penicillium

noun (plural penicillia)

  • a blue mould that is common on food, being added to some cheeses and used sometimes to produce penicillin.

Origin:

mid 19th century: modern Latin, from Latin penicillus 'paintbrush' (because of the brush-like fruiting bodies)

penicillium in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of penicillium in the US English dictionary