typhoid bacillus
- noun
- /ˈtaɪfɔɪd bəˈsɪləs/
- Specialized
:
bacilo de la fiebre tifoidea
- The typhoid bacillus can spread through contaminated food and water, leading to outbreaks in areas with poor sanitation.
Examples
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Proper hygiene and vaccination are effective in preventing infection by the typhoid bacillus.
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Scientists were able to identify the typhoid bacillus under the microscope and confirm the diagnosis.
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The typhoid bacillus is highly infectious.
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Many cases of typhoid fever are caused by the typhoid bacillus.
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Proper hygiene and vaccination are effective in preventing infection by the typhoid bacillus.
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The typhoid bacillus can spread through contaminated food and water, leading to outbreaks in areas with poor sanitation.
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Scientists were able to identify the typhoid bacillus under the microscope and confirm the diagnosis.
Synonyms
A small germ that causes typhoid fever in people
A type of bacteria that causes typhoid fever in people
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a straightforward compositional noun phrase: 'typhoid' names the disease and 'bacillus' names a rod-shaped bacterium, so together they mean 'the bacterium that causes typhoid.' The construction follows common noun-attributive compounding found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
The name typhoid bacillus comes from two simple images: typhoid was the word for a serious fever and sickness, and bacillus is an old Latin word meaning 'little rod', used for rod-shaped germs. So the name tells you it is 'the little rod-shaped germ that causes typhoid fever'.
