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Glite Dictionary
cocci

cocci

2 7.9
Round bacteria that often form groups and appear under a microscope
  • noun
  • /ˈkɑːkaɪ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cocos
  • Cocci, which are spherical bacteria, are commonly studied in labs to understand their role in diseases.
  • gram-positive cocci
  • positive cocci

Examples

  • In microbiology class, we learned that cocci bacteria can cause a variety of illnesses in humans.

  • Many patients in the hospital were diagnosed with cocci infections, indicating a rise in cases this season.

  • There were also a few Gram-negative cocci in clusters and Gram-negative bacilli in chains.

    Academic text (2004)

  • Most Gram stains observed included Gram-positive cocci in clusters or chains.

    Academic text (2004)

  • A Gram's stain of the sinus contents identified gram-positive cocci and yeast.

    Academic text (2006)

  • The microflora of the esophagus is made up of gram-positive cocci, gram-negative bacilli, and anaerobes.

    Academic text (2003)

  • Of interest, both had coexisting folliculitis with gram-positive cocci, and staphylococcus is a putative antigen in MF.

    Academic text (2007)

  • These cocci, spore-forming, and vegetative bacilli also respond like particulate contaminants to equipment designed to control airborne particulate contaminants.

    Academic text (2003)

  • M. luteus was used as a surrogate for Gram-positive cocci because M. luteus is similar in size, shape, and cell wall composition to staphylococci, streptococci, and enterococci.

    Academic text (2003)

  • Micrococcus luteus was used as a surrogate for Gram-positive cocci because M. luteus is similar in size, shape, and cell wall composition to staphylococci, streptococci, and enterococci.

    Academic text (2003)

Surface Forms

coccus singular
cocci plural

Morphology

cocci = coccus (semi-transparent) = coccus + i

The form is a regular singular-to-plural relation using the Latin '-i' plural common in scientific terms; learners familiar with scientific Latin plurals will recognise it, others may not.

Etymology

Cocci comes from the Greek root kokkos, which means 'berry' or 'seed'. A helpful image is that cocci are tiny round bacteria that look like little berries under a microscope, and that is why we use the word for spherical bacteria.