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staphylococcus

Syllabification: (staph·y·lo·coc·cus)
Pronunciation: /ˌstaf(ə)lōˈkäkəs/

Definition of staphylococcus

noun (plural staphylococci /-ˈkäkˌsī, -ˌsē/)

  • 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

Derivatives

staphylococcal

Pronunciation: /-ˈkäkəl/

adjective

Origin:

modern Latin, from Greek staphulē 'bunch of grapes' + kokkos 'berry'

staphylococcus in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of staphylococcus in the British & World English dictionary

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