spirillum

[ spahy-ril-uh m ]

/ spaɪˈrɪl əm /

noun, plural spi·ril·la [spahy-ril-uh] /spaɪˈrɪl ə/. Bacteriology.

any of several spirally twisted, aerobic bacteria of the genus Spirillum, certain species of which are pathogenic for humans.

any of various similar microorganisms.

QUIZZES

Discover The Influence Of Portuguese On English Via This Quiz!

We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?

Question 1 of 11

Which of the following bird names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?

owl

crow

piranha

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Words nearby spirillum

spirelet, spireme, spires, spiriferous, spirillar, spirillum, spirillum minus, spirit, spirit away, spirit cave, spirit compass

Origin of spirillum

1870–75; < New Latin, equivalent to Latin spīr(a) (see spire²) + -illum diminutive suffix

OTHER WORDS FROM spirillum

spi·ril·lar, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for spirilla

From carious teeth may be isolated streptothrix, leptothrix, spirilla and fusiform bacilli.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 4|Various
When division occurs in one plane only, the possible groupings are the same as among the spirilla or bacilli.
The Fundamentals of Bacteriology|Charles Bradfield Morrey
These terms are rarely used, since spirilla do not ordinarily remain attached.
The Fundamentals of Bacteriology|Charles Bradfield Morrey
As early as 1873, spirilla were demonstrated in relapsing fever.
The Evolution of Modern Medicine|William Osler

Spirilla are long, slender, thread-like cells, more or less spiral or wavy.
Manual of Surgery|Alexis Thomson and Alexander Miles

British Dictionary definitions for spirilla

spirillum

/ (spaɪˈrɪləm) /

noun plural -la (-lə)

any bacterium having a curved or spirally twisted rodlike bodyCompare coccus (def. 1), bacillus (def. 1)

any bacterium of the genus Spirillum, such as S. minus, which causes ratbite fever

Derived forms of spirillum

spirillar, adjective

Word Origin for spirillum

C19: from New Latin, literally: a little coil, from spīra a coil

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

Medical definitions for spirilla (1 of 2)

spirillum

[ spī-rĭl′əm ]

n. pl. spi•ril•la (-rĭl′ə)

A member of the genus Spirillum.

Any of various other spiral-shaped microorganisms.

Medical definitions for spirilla (2 of 2)

Spirillum

n.

A genus of large, aerobic, gram-negative bacteria having an elongated spiral form and a tuft of flagella.

Scientific definitions for spirilla

spirillum

[ spī-rĭl′əm ]

Plural spirilla

Any of various bacteria that are shaped like a spiral, such as the spirochete Treponema pallidum, which causes syphilis.