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coliform

[kol-uh-fawrm, koh-luh-]
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adjective
  1. of, relating to, or resembling a coliform bacillus.
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noun
  1. coliform bacillus.
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Origin of coliform

1850–55; < New Latin coli, genitive of Latin colum, colon colon2 (the specific epithet of various species of bacteria inhabiting the colon, as Escherichia coli; construed as col- + -i-) + -form
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Word Origin and History for coliform

adj.

1850s, "resembling a sieve," from Latin colum "strainer;" meaning "resembling a bacillus of the coli group" is from 1906, from coli + form.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
coliform in Medicine

coliform

(kō′lə-fôrm′, kŏl′ə-)
adj.
  1. Of or relating to the bacilli that commonly inhabit the intestines of humans and other vertebrates, especially the colon bacillus.
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Related formsco′li•form′ n.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.