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Glite Dictionary
anthrax bacillus

anthrax bacillus

8.8
A germ that causes anthrax in people and animals and can be used as a weapon
  • noun
  • /ˈænθræks bəˈsɪləs/
  • NSFW
translation icon : bacilo de ántrax
  • The anthrax bacillus can survive for decades in soil as spores.

Examples

  • Vaccination of livestock helps prevent outbreaks caused by the anthrax bacillus.

  • The anthrax bacillus is highly dangerous.

  • After the laboratory accident, several workers were exposed to the anthrax bacillus.

  • Scientists study the anthrax bacillus for vaccine development.

  • The anthrax bacillus is known to form spores that can survive in harsh environments for years.

  • Scientists are studying the anthrax bacillus to develop better vaccines against the disease.

  • In the laboratory, the researchers isolated the anthrax bacillus to examine its properties.

Synonyms

Bacillus anthracis
vsanthrax bacillus
  • Specialized
7.5

A type of long thin bacteria that forms spores and causes anthrax in people and animals

emphasizes its possible use as a bioweapon rather than biological shape details

Surface Forms

anthrax bacillus singular
anthrax bacilli plural

Morphology

anthrax + bacillus

The phrase is compositionally transparent: 'anthrax' names the disease and 'bacillus' names a rod-shaped bacterium, so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to the bacterium that causes anthrax. This disease+pathogen compounding is a straightforward, cross-linguistic pattern, so a B1 learner familiar with the constituents would readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

Anthrax bacillus comes from old words: anthrax meant 'coal' because the disease makes black skin sores, and bacillus means 'little rod' because the germ looks like a tiny rod. So the name pictures a rod-shaped germ that causes those dark, 'coal-like' sores.