Bacteria (en. Bacteria)

/bakˈteɾia/

Meaning & Definition

EnglishSpanish
noun
Microscopic organisms that belong to the kingdom Monera.
Bacteria can be beneficial like those that live in our intestines.
Las bacterias pueden ser beneficiosas como las que viven en nuestro intestino.
Agents that cause various infections in humans.
The bacterium Streptococcus is responsible for many throat infections.
La bacteria Streptococcus es responsable de muchas infecciones de garganta.
They can live in a wide variety of habitats, both extreme and common.
Extremophilic bacteria are found in the most hostile environments on Earth.
Las bacterias extremófilas se encuentran en los ambientes más hostiles de la Tierra.

Etymology

From Greek 'bakterion', meaning 'rod', due to the shape of some bacteria.

Common Phrases and Expressions

resistant bacteria
Bacteria that have developed resistance to antibiotics.
bacteria resistente
beneficial bacteria
Bacteria that aid in biological processes, such as digestion.
bacteria beneficiosa
bacterial culture
The process of growing bacteria in an appropriate medium to study their characteristics.
cultivo de bacterias

Related Words

antibiotic
Substance used to kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria.
antibiótico
infection
Invasion and multiplication of pathogenic organisms, such as bacteria, in the body.
infección
bacterial flora
Set of bacteria that live in a host, normally in symbiosis.
flora bacteriana

Slang Meanings

Bacteria used as a derogatory term to refer to undesirable or annoying people.
That group of people is like a bacteria, always causing problems.
Ese grupo de personas es como una bacteria, siempre causando problemas.
Use of 'bacteria' in an informal context to refer to something unpleasant or disturbing.
That situation is bacteria, I don't like it at all.
Esa situación es bacteria, no me gusta nada.