mycoplasma

[ mahy-koh-plaz-muh ]

/ ˌmaɪ koʊˈplæz mə /

Save This Word!

noun

any of numerous parasitic microorganisms of the class Mollicutes, comprising the smallest self-reproducing prokaryotes, lacking a true cell wall and able to survive without oxygen: a common cause of pneumonia and urinary tract infections.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of mycoplasma

From New Latin, dating back to 1950–55; see origin at myco-, plasma

Words nearby mycoplasma

mycol., mycology, mycoparasite, mycophagist, mycophagous, mycoplasma, mycorrhiza, mycosis, mycostat, Mycostatin, Mycota

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

British Dictionary definitions for mycoplasma

mycoplasma

/ (ˌmaɪkəʊˈplæzmə) /

noun

any prokaryotic microorganism of the genus Mycoplasma, some species of which cause disease (mycoplasmosis) in animals and humans

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

Scientific definitions for mycoplasma

mycoplasma

[ mī′kō-plăz′mə ]

Any of a phylum of extremely small, parasitic bacteria that have a flexible cell membrane instead of a rigid cell wall, can assume a variety of shapes, are usually nonmotile, and are capable of forming colonies. Too small to be seen with a light microscope, mycoplasmas are thought to be the smallest organisms capable of independent growth. They are often pathogenic or parasitic in mammals and cause a number of important plant diseases, notably among citrus fruits. Mycoplasmas of the genus Mycoplasma are dependent upon sterols such as cholesterol for growth and cause several types of pneumonia in humans and animals. See also phytoplasma.