lactobacillus

[ lak-toh-buh-sil-uhs ]

/ ˌlæk toʊ bəˈsɪl əs /

Save This Word!

noun, plural lac·to·ba·cil·li

[lak-toh-buh-sil-ahy]. /ˌlæk toʊ bəˈsɪl aɪ/. Bacteriology.

any long, slender, rod-shaped, anaerobic bacterium of the genus Lactobacillus, that produces large amounts of lactic acid in the fermentation of carbohydrates, especially in milk.

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of lactobacillus

<New Latin (1901); see lacto-, bacillus

Words nearby lactobacillus

lactic, lactic acid, lactiferous, lactivist, lacto-, lactobacillus, lactoferrin, lactoflavin, lactogenic, lactogenic hormone, lactoglobulin

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use lactobacillus in a sentence

Vulture bees were full of Lactobacillus strains—the type of bacteria that’s used to ferment sour beer, sourdough, and pickles—while the omnivores had the most diverse guts, with a mixture of standard-issue bacteria and some unusual strains.
What’s sweeter than honey to these bees? Rotting meat.|Philip Kiefer|November 27, 2021|Popular-Science
Lactobacillus reuteri LR-1 or LR-2 promote oral health by binding to teeth and gums, preventing plaque formation in the mouth.
How to Choose the Right Probiotic for You|DailyBurn|May 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The most common probiotic bacteria come from two genus groups: Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium, although there are many others.
How to Choose the Right Probiotic for You|DailyBurn|May 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Koumiss bacterium is related to the Lactobacillus of various other fermented milks, and is similar to Bac.
The Bacillus of Long Life|Loudon Douglas

Fresh dairy cream cheese containing Lactobacillus acidophilus.
The Complete Book of Cheese|Robert Carlton Brown

British Dictionary definitions for lactobacillus

lactobacillus

/ (ˌlæktəʊbəˈsɪləs) /

noun plural -li (-laɪ)

any Gram-positive rod-shaped bacterium of the genus Lactobacillus, which ferments carbohydrates to lactic acid, for example in the souring of milk: family Lactobacillaceae

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