Advertisement

Advertisement

Gram-positive

[gram-poz-i-tiv]

adjective

(often lowercase)
  1. (of bacteria) retaining the violet dye when stained by Gram's method.



Gram-positive

adjective

  1. designating bacteria that retain the violet stain in Gram's method

“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

gram-positive

  1. Relating to a group of bacteria that turn a dark-blue color when subjected to a laboratory staining method known as Gram's method. Gram-positive bacteria have relatively thick cell walls and are generally sensitive to the destructive effects of antibiotics or the actions of the body's immune cells. Gram-positive bacteria include beneficial nitrogen-fixing bacteria in soil, as well as the bacteria that cause anthrax, botulism, leprosy, tuberculosis, scarlet fever, and strep throat.

  2. Compare gram-negative

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of Gram-positive1

First recorded in 1905–10; Gram's method
Discover More

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.

Gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria differ in the composition of their cell walls.

Read more on Science Daily

"We have pretty strong evidence that this new structural class is active against Gram-positive pathogens by selectively dissipating the proton motive force in bacteria," Wong says.

Read more on Science Daily

Hiley envisioned them as the “Gram twins,” representing two different types of bacteria: Gram-positive and Gram-negative.

Read more on New York Times

However, this did not happen with exposure to Gram-positive bacteria, which lack lipopolysaccharides in their cell membranes.

Read more on Nature

L. monocytogenes is a Gram-positive bacterium, which means that it has a single lipid membrane and a thick cell wall.

Read more on Nature

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


Grampiansgramps