salmonella

American  

[sal-muh-nel-uh] / ˌsæl məˈnɛl ə /

noun

Bacteriology.

salmonellae plural

1. any of several rod-shaped, facultatively anaerobic bacteria of the genus Salmonella, as S. typhosa, that may enter the digestive tract of humans and other mammals in contaminated food and cause abdominal pains and violent diarrhea.

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salmonella British  

/ ˌsælməˈnɛlə /

noun

1. any Gram-negative rod-shaped aerobic bacterium of the genus Salmonella, including S. typhosa, which causes typhoid fever, and many species (notably S. enteritidis ) that cause food poisoning ( salmonellosis ): family Enterobacteriaceae

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salmonella Scientific  

/ săl′mə-nĕl′ə /

salmonellae plural

1. Any of various gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria of the genus Salmonella that cause food poisoning and typhoid fever in humans and other mammals.

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salmonella Cultural  

1. A category of bacteria that occurs in many pathogenic forms. One kind causes typhoid fever; there is evidence that other kinds cause various forms of food poisoning.

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Etymology

Origin of salmonella

< New Latin (1900), after Daniel E. Salmon (1850–1914), U.S. pathologist; see -ella

Explanation

Salmonella is a type of bacteria that causes food poisoning or even typhoid fever in people and their pets. If you eat something contaminated with salmonella, you’ll get cramps, diarrhea, and a fever for a few days. Yuk! Salmonella has nothing to do with salmon. It’s named after the American scientist Daniel E. Salmon (1850-1914), who isolated this type of Gram-negative enterobacteria in 1885. It's not good to eat raw eggs or meat because cooking kills bacteria such as salmonella. Salmonella also causes typhoid fever — people with typhoid fever can spread it around by accident, like Typhoid Mary did in the 1800’s, when she served food that made a lot of people sick.

Example Sentences

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

Nine varieties of salty snacks from a leading national manufacturer were recalled this week amid concerns over a risk of salmonella, according to the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026

The FDA has long warned against consuming raw, unpasteurized milk, citing risks of dangerous bacteria such as salmonella, listeria and E. coli that can lead to severe illness or, in rare cases, death.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

In the first study, researcher Navish Wadhwa and his team found that salmonella and E. coli can migrate across moist surfaces even when their flagella are disabled.

From Science Daily • Mar. 13, 2026

They used HeLa to test the effects of steroids, chemotherapy drugs, hormones, vitamins, and environmental stress; they infected them with tuberculosis, salmonella, and the bacterium that causes vaginitis.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

Related Words

• botulism