spirillum

American  

[spahy-ril-uhm] / spaɪˈrɪl əm /

noun

Bacteriology.

spirilla plural

1. any of several spirally twisted, aerobic bacteria of the genus Spirillum, certain species of which are pathogenic for humans.

2. any of various similar microorganisms.

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spirillum British  

/ spaɪˈrɪləm /

noun

1. any bacterium having a curved or spirally twisted rodlike body Compare coccus bacillus

2. any bacterium of the genus Spirillum, such as S. minus, which causes ratbite fever

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spirillum Scientific  

/ spī-rĭl′əm /

spirilla plural

1. Any of various bacteria that are shaped like a spiral, such as the spirochete Treponema pallidum, which causes syphilis.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• spirillar
  adjective

Inflected Forms

noun

• spirilla
  plural

Etymology

Origin of spirillum

1870–75; < New Latin, equivalent to Latin spīr ( a ) ( see spire ²) + -illum diminutive suffix

Compare meaning

How does spirillum compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• spirillum vs. spirochete

Example Sentences

Caused by comma-shaped bacteria known as Vibrio or Spirillum cholerae, which dwell in sewage-contaminated water, cholera drains body tissues of their fluids, causes intense vomiting, diarrhea and violent muscular spasms.

From Time Magazine Archive

Beyerinck has shown that Spirillum desulphuricans, a definite anaerobic form, attacks and reduces sulphates, thus undoing the work of the sulphur bacteria as certain de-nitrifying bacteria reverse the operations of nitro-bacteria.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Part 1, Slice 2 "Baconthorpe" to "Bankruptcy" by Various

Spirillum, spī-ril′um, n. a genus of bacteria with cylindrical spirally twisted cells:—pl.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various

They are actually the swimming organs of this Spirillum.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 470, January 3, 1885 by Various

In the corkscrew form, Spirillum volitans, each end of the body is produced into a minute hair-like process or cilium, and it is by the lashings of these cilia that the minute organism moves about.

From The Contemporary Review, Volume 36, October 1879 by Various