noun
salmonella
sal-muh-NEH-luh
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 notesIn 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
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “salmonella”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
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.