mesophilic

American

[mez-uh-fil-ik, mes-, mee-zuh-, -suh-] / ˌmɛz əˈfɪl ɪk, ˌmɛs-, ˌmi zə-, -sə- /

Also mesophilous

adjective

(of bacteria) growing best at moderate temperatures, between 25°C and 40°C.

mesophilic British

/ ˌmɛsəʊˈfɪlɪk /

adjective

biology (esp of bacteria) having an ideal growth temperature of 20–45°C

"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

Other Word Forms

mesophile

noun

Etymology

Origin of mesophilic

First recorded in 1895–1900; meso- + -philic

Example Sentences

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mesophilic

The temperature 42° C. destroys ordinary water bacteria and inhibits the growth of many ordinary mesophilic bacteria.

From The Elements of Bacteriological Technique A Laboratory Guide for Medical, Dental, and Technical Students. Second Edition Rewritten and Enlarged. by J. W. H. (John William Henry) Eyre

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023