E. coli

American  

[ee koh-lahy] / ˈi ˈkoʊ laɪ /

noun

Bacteriology.

1. Escherichia coli: a species of rod-shaped, facultatively anaerobic bacteria in the large intestine of humans and other animals, sometimes pathogenic.

---

E. coli British  

/ ˌiːˈkəʊlaɪ /

noun

1. short for Escherichia coli; see Escherichia

---

E. coli Scientific  

/ ēkō′lī /

1. A bacillus (Escherichia coli) normally found in the human gastrointestinal tract and occurring in numerous strains, some of which are responsible for diarrheal diseases. Other strains have important experimental uses in molecular biology.

---

Etymology

Origin of E. coli

See Escherichia coli ( def. )

Example Sentences

The Food and Drug Administration has repeatedly warned that unpasteurized dairy products can carry dangerous bacteria such as salmonella, listeria, and E. coli.

From Salon • May 9, 2026

The research, published in RSC Medicinal Chemistry, found that madecassic acid can stop antibiotic-resistant E. coli from growing.

From Science Daily • Apr. 21, 2026

The FDA has long warned against consuming raw, unpasteurized milk, citing risks of dangerous bacteria such as salmonella, listeria and E. coli that can lead to severe illness or, in rare cases, death.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

McAfee said he tests every batch of milk that comes out of his milking parlors, and none have been positive for E. coli, salmonella, campylobacter, listeria or any other contaminant that causes human illness.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

Within months, outbreaks of antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Clostridium difficile, and E. coli are observed in patients around the world.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson