archaebacteria

American  

[ahr-kee-bak-teer-ee-uh] / ˌɑr ki bækˈtɪər i ə /

Also archaeobacteria

plural noun

Microbiology.

1. a former term for the archaea, which in the three-domain system are no longer classified, either in kingdom or domain, with the bacteria.

---

archaebacteria British  

/ ˌɑːkɪbækˈtɪərɪə /

plural noun

1. (formerly) a group of microorganisms now regarded as members of the Archaea See archaean

---

Etymology

Origin of archaebacteria

First recorded in 1975–80; from New Latin; Archae- is irregular for archaeo- (perhaps an erroneous Latinizing of Greek arche- ); see origin at arche-, archaeo-, bacteria

Example Sentences

The phylogenetic evidence suggests that the archaebacteria are at least as old as the other major groups.

From Scientific American • Jan. 1, 2013

Although a few biolo­gists still dispute our interpretation, the idea that archaebacteria represent a sep­arate grouping at the highest level is be­ coming generally accepted.

From Scientific American • Jan. 1, 2013

It was by applying techniques of sequencing to the century-old prob­lem of the natural relations among bac­teria that my colleagues and I recog­nized the archaebacteria as a third form of life.

From Scientific American • Jan. 1, 2013

Therefore it may be that archaebacteria as well as true bacte­ria participated in forming the eukaryotic cell.

From Scientific American • Jan. 1, 2013

The time needed for the evolution of the first true bacteria or archaebacteria, then, had to be less than a billion years, and perhaps much less.

From Scientific American • Jan. 1, 2013