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bacteriology

American  
[bak-teer-ee-ol-uh-jee] / bækˌtɪər iˈɒl ə dʒi /

noun

  1. a branch of microbiology dealing with the identification, study, and cultivation of bacteria and with their applications in medicine, agriculture, industry, and biotechnology.


bacteriology British  
/ bækˌtɪərɪˈɒlədʒɪ, bækˌtɪərɪəˈlɒdʒɪkəl /

noun

  1. the branch of science concerned with the study of bacteria

"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

bacteriology Scientific  
/ băk-tîr′ē-ŏlə-jē /
  1. The scientific study of bacteria, especially bacteria that cause disease.


Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of bacteriology

First recorded in 1880–85; bacterio- + -logy

Explanation

Bacteriology is the science of certain single-celled microorganisms, both the harmful ones that cause diseases and the helpful ones in yogurt and kimchi. Bacteriology is formed by adding the suffix -ology, or "science," to bacteria, whose root means "staff," from the shape of the earliest bacteria viewed through a microscope. This branch of biology focuses on every aspect of bacteria, particularly the way medicine can be used to prevent and cure bacterial diseases.

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Vocabulary lists containing bacteriology

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.

The study appears in the Journal of Bacteriology and was selected as an Editor's Pick, highlighting its significance.

From Science Daily • Mar. 13, 2026

The study "TamAB is regulated by PhoPQ and functions in outer membrane homeostasis during Salmonella pathogenesis" was published in the Journal of Bacteriology.

From Science Daily • Jan. 13, 2024

The Emeritus Professor of Bacteriology at Aberdeen University receives a CBE for his services to microbiology and food hygiene.

From BBC • Jun. 14, 2013

He became Clinical Professor of Bacteriology and Immunology�the first Negro professor Harvard University has had in its 313 years.

From Time Magazine Archive

The Department of Pathology and Bacteriology of the Medico-Chirurgical College of Philadelphia reported using "about" 124 rabbits and guinea- pigs, chiefly for research purposes.

From An Ethical Problem Or, Sidelights upon Scientific Experimentation on Man and Animals by Leffingwell, Albert

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