archaebacteria

American  

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

Also archaeobacteria

plural noun

Microbiology.

singular

archaebacterium

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.

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archaebacteria British  

/ ˌɑːkɪbækˈtɪərɪə /

plural noun

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

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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

Moreover, some of the archaebacteria have a form of metabolism that seems particularly well suited to the conditions believed to have prevailed in the early history of life on the earth.

From Scientific American • Jan. 1, 2013

The discovery of the archaebacteria provides the perspective needed to approach the question of whether the universal ancestor was a prokaryote or a progenote.

From Scientific American • Jan. 1, 2013

In order to appreciate the special status of the archaebacteria it is helpful to consider some of the defining charac­teristics of eukaryotes and prokaryotes.

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