staphylococcus

noun (plural staphylococci /-ˈkɒk(s)ʌɪ, -ˈkɒk(s)iː/)

• a bacterium of a genus that includes many pathogenic kinds that cause pus formation, especially in the skin and mucous membranes.

  • Genus Staphylococcus; Gram-positive cocci in clusters