bacteria
0 antonyms and opposites of bacteria, grouped by meaning.
Noun — Microscopic single-celled organisms, some helpful and some capable of causing disease.
How to use bacteria
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From New Latin bactēria, taken from the Ancient Greek word for a small rod or staff, reflecting the rod-like shape of many bacteria.
Full origin of bacteria →Frequently asked questions
What does “bacteria” mean?
The word “bacteria” means microscopic single-celled organisms, some helpful and some capable of causing disease. In plain terms, tiny single-celled living things found almost everywhere, some of which cause illness and others of which are harmless or even beneficial.
How do you pronounce “bacteria”?
“Bacteria” is pronounced bak-TEER-ree-uh (/bækˈtɪɹ.i.ə/ in IPA).
How do you use “bacteria” in a sentence?
Here is “bacteria” used in a sentence: “Washing your hands helps remove harmful bacteria before you eat.”
What part of speech is “bacteria”?
“Bacteria” is a noun.
Where does the word “bacteria” come from?
The word “bacteria” comes from Ancient Greek. From New Latin bactēria, taken from the Ancient Greek word for a small rod or staff, reflecting the rod-like shape of many bacteria.
Is “bacteria” a common word?
“Bacteria” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between bacteria and viruses?
Bacteria are microscopic single-celled organisms, some helpful and some capable of causing disease, and they can live and reproduce on their own. Viruses are much smaller and cannot reproduce without infecting a host cell, which is a key biological difference between the two.
Is it bacteria or bacterium for a single organism?
Bacteria is the plural form, so one organism is a bacterium. A common mistake is treating bacteria as singular, as in "a bacteria," when the correct singular is bacterium.
Are all bacteria harmful?
No. Bacteria are single-celled organisms that include both helpful and harmful types. Many are beneficial, such as those aiding digestion, while only some are capable of causing disease.
Should bacteria take a singular or plural verb?
In careful writing, bacteria is plural and takes a plural verb, as in "the bacteria are growing." Because bacterium is the singular, using a singular verb with bacteria is generally considered incorrect.