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spirillum

 
Dictionary: spi·ril·lum   (spī-rĭl'əm) pronunciation
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n., pl., -ril·la (-rĭl'ə).
  1. Any of various aerobic bacteria of the genus Spirillum, having an elongated spiral form and bearing a tuft of flagella.
  2. Any of various other spiral-shaped microorganisms.

[New Latin Spīrillum, genus name, diminutive of Latin spīra, coil. See spire2.]


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Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: spirillum
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Any of the spiral-shaped bacteria that make up the genus Spirillum, which are aquatic except for one species that causes a type of rat-bite fever in humans. The term is used generally for any corkscrewlike species of bacteria (see spirochete). Spirilla are gram-negative (see gram stain) and move by means of tufts of flagella at each end.

For more information on spirillum, visit Britannica.com.

Medical Dictionary: spi·ril·lum
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(spī-rĭl'əm)
n., pl. -ril·la (-rĭl'ə).
  1. A member of the genus Spirillum.
  2. Any of various other spiral-shaped microorganisms.
Veterinary Dictionary: spirillum
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Pl. spirilla [L.]
1. a spiral-shaped bacterium.
2. a member of the genus Spirillum.

WordNet: spirillum
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Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The noun has 2 meanings:

Meaning #1: spirally twisted elongate rodlike bacteria usually living in stagnant water

Meaning #2: any flagellated aerobic bacteria having a spirally twisted rodlike form
  Synonym: spirilla

 
 

 

Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Medical Dictionary. The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company.  Read more
Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved.  Read more
WordNet. WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.  Read more