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noun Uncommon

salmonella

sal-muh-NEH-luh

Salmonella (noun) means a type of bacteria that causes food poisoning and typhoid-like illness. Example: “The eggs were recalled after tests found salmonella on the shells.”

noun
1
A type of bacteria that causes food poisoning and typhoid-like illness.
"The eggs were recalled after tests found salmonella on the shells."
2
The illness caused by this bacteria, usually from contaminated food.
"He came down with salmonella after eating undercooked chicken at the barbecue."

How to use salmonella

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishBacteria that causes food poisoning, or the food poisoning itself.

Common mistake

Capitalized (Salmonella) when referring to the scientific genus name; lowercase when talking about the illness generally.

Common pairings
salmonella outbreak salmonella poisoning test positive for salmonella

Word forms

salmonellas plural, salmonellae plural

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The eggs were recalled after tests found _____ on the shells.

Etymology

Named after Daniel Elmer Salmon, the American scientist who first identified the bacteria in the late 1800s.

· First attested 1800

Class of 1800 salmonella joined the language around 1800.
See the full Class of 1800 →

Rhymes for salmonella

See all rhymes for salmonella →

Frequently asked questions

What does “salmonella” mean?

The word “salmonella” means a type of bacteria that causes food poisoning and typhoid-like illness. In plain terms, bacteria that causes food poisoning, or the food poisoning itself.

How do you pronounce “salmonella”?

“Salmonella” is pronounced sal-muh-NEH-luh (/ˌsæl.məˈnɛ.lə/ in IPA).

How do you use “salmonella” in a sentence?

Here is “salmonella” used in a sentence: “The eggs were recalled after tests found salmonella on the shells.”

What part of speech is “salmonella”?

“Salmonella” is a noun.

Where does the word “salmonella” come from?

The word “salmonella” dates back to around 1800. Named after Daniel Elmer Salmon, the American scientist who first identified the bacteria in the late 1800s.

Is “salmonella” a common word?

“Salmonella” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “salmonella” have?

“Salmonella” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a type of bacteria that causes food poisoning and typhoid-like illness.

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial