obligate anaerobe
- noun
- /ˈɑblɪɡeɪt ˈænəroʊb/
- Specialized
:
anaerobio obligado
- To cultivate obligate anaerobes in a laboratory, scientists must create a completely oxygen-free environment.
Examples
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The synergy between the two pathogens accounts for the aggressive nature of this disease; the removal of oxygen by the facultative aerobes allows the obligate anaerobes to flourish.
Academic text (2004) -
Clostridium botulinum is an example of an obligate anaerobe that thrives in oxygen-free environments.
-
Certain bacteria, such as those found in deep-sea vents, are classified as obligate anaerobes due to their inability to survive in the presence of oxygen.
Antonyms
How Oxygen-Tolerant
- Specialized
- Specialized
- Specialized
1
9.0
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally clear: 'obligate' (required/restricted) modifies 'anaerobe' (an organism that survives without oxygen), so the meaning 'an organism that must live without oxygen' is directly derivable from the parts. Although slightly technical, this adjective+noun formation follows regular English patterns and has close equivalents in other languages, making it immediately understandable to learners who know both constituents.
Etymology
Obligate anaerobe comes from two parts: obligate meaning 'must' and anaerobe meaning 'without air'. The name gives the image of a living thing that 'must' live without oxygen, so it means a creature that cannot survive where oxygen is present.