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Glite Dictionary
diplococcus

diplococcus

9.6
A round bacterium that usually appears in pairs and can cause infections
  • noun
  • /ˌdɪpləˈkɒkəs/
  • Specialized
: diplococo
  • The paired structure of a diplococcus distinguishes it from other spherical bacteria.

Examples

  • After testing, the physician identified the presence of diplococcus in the patient's throat swab.

  • The diplococcus bacteria can cause pneumonia.

  • Some types of pneumonia are caused by a diplococcus known as Streptococcus pneumoniae.

  • Many diplococci are found in the human throat.

  • The laboratory identified the diplococcus bacteria responsible for the infection as Neisseria meningitidis.

  • Under the microscope, the diplococcus appeared as pairs of spherical cells clustered together.

  • Doctors often test for diplococcus in patients with suspected bacterial meningitis.

Synonyms

coccus
vsdiplococcus
  • Specialized
1 9.3

A small round type of bacteria that looks like a tiny ball

is narrower naming bacteria that occur in pairs

Compounds

Diplococcus pneumoniae
  • Archaic
9.6

A bacterium now called Streptococcus pneumoniae that causes pneumonia in people and mice

Surface Forms

diplococcus singular
diplococci plural

Morphology

diplococcus = coccus (semi-transparent) = diplo + coccus + diplo

The prefix 'diplo-' indicates 'double' or 'pair', which is related to the bacterium occurring in pairs, but this requires some specialized knowledge.

Etymology

Diplococcus comes from the Greek parts diplo- meaning 'double' and coccus meaning 'berry' or 'round seed', so imagine two tiny round berries stuck together. That's why a diplococcus is a round bacterium that usually appears in pairs.