spirillum

American  

[spahy-ril-uhm] / spaɪˈrɪl əm /

noun

Bacteriology.

plural

spirilla

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

2. any of various similar microorganisms.

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spirillum British  

/ spaɪˈrɪləm /

noun

1. any bacterium having a curved or spirally twisted rodlike body Compare coccus bacillus

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

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spirillum Scientific  

/ spī-rĭl′əm /

plural

spirilla

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

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Other Word Forms

• spirillar adjective

Etymology

Origin of spirillum

1870–75; < New Latin, equivalent to Latin spīr ( a ) ( spire ² ) + -illum diminutive suffix

Compare meaning

How does spirillum compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• spirillum vs. spirochete

Example Sentences

DEFINITION.—Relapsing fever is an epidemic contagious disease, the specific cause of which is not certainly known, although a peculiar spirillum appears to be constantly present in the blood.

From Project Gutenberg

For some years it was called the “comma bacillus,” from its supposed resemblance in shape to a comma, but it was subsequently found Causation. to be a vibrio or spirillum, not a bacillus.

From Project Gutenberg

The same is true of Schizomycetes, to which all the bacteria, bacillus, spirillum, and vibrio, and a number of other groups belong.

From Project Gutenberg

The spirillum, volutans is often found in drinking water, and in common with some other specimens of this class is provided with flagellæ, sometimes at both extremities, which furnish the means of rapid locomotion.

From Project Gutenberg

On account of this developmental change, he doubted if the cholera organism should be ranked with bacilli; it is rather a transitional form between the bacillus and the spirillum.

From Project Gutenberg