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.

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E. coli British  

/ ˌiːˈkəʊlaɪ /

noun

1. short for Escherichia coli; see Escherichia

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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.

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Etymology

Origin of E. coli

See Escherichia coli ( def. )

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

E. coli

Keane said the animals were predominantly found with E. coli and botulism, and that the most stagnant stretch was within the locks around Boston Manor Park.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

To study the process directly in people, the researchers gave healthy volunteers a tiny injection of UV-killed E. coli bacteria in the forearm.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 13, 2026

E. coli can cause stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting, and can lead to serious kidney problems that require hospitalization, according to public-health officials.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

We’ve had water treatment failures, chemical imbalances brought on by malfunction, E. coli contamination, and the people of Flint, Michigan, of course, appreciate the criticality of clean water better than anyone in the country.

From Slate ● Aug. 19, 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

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