curli

British

/ ˈkɜːlɪ /

plural noun

bacteriol curled hairlike processes on the surface of the bacterium Escherichia coli by means of which the bacterium adheres to and infects wounds

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of curli

C20: from curl ( ed ) ( _pil ) _i

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

They also got an unscheduled added attraction in the performance of Flagman Giovanni Curli, official in charge of signaling the start and finish.

From Time Magazine Archive

When Curli flourished his flag at the start, 39 speed-happy cyclists roared off around the treacherous four-mile asphalt course.

From Time Magazine Archive

That was when Giovanni Curli suddenly waved his big checkered flag, signaling the end of the race.

From Time Magazine Archive

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023