listeria
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of listeria
Explanation
Listeria is a bacteria that can contaminate food and make people very sick. In pregnant and elderly people, the infection caused by listeria is particularly dangerous. Infants and people with compromised immune systems are also especially vulnerable to listeriosis, the infection that the listeria bacteria can cause. The most serious cases can lead to blood infection and meningitis. Hand washing and thoroughly cooking raw food can help prevent the growth of listeria, and susceptible people can stay safe by avoiding certain foods, including soft cheese and raw hot dogs. Listeria is named in honor of the groundbreaking early 20th-century bacteriologist Joseph Lister.
Vocabulary lists containing listeria
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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
Soft cheeses made with such unpasteurized milk can run an infection risk from listeria bacteria, a special danger for pregnant women and newborns.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 14, 2026
Of course, safety issues abound in commercial dog food, too, where recalls for salmonella and listeria contamination are fairly common.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 28, 2026
Four people have been diagnosed with sepsis after eating at a luxury restaurant in Stockholm as part of a suspected listeria outbreak.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2025
Member’s Mark Freeze-Dried Fruit Variety Packs from Sam’s Club have been recalled due to potential listeria contamination.
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2025
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
