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Clostridium paralytica

Clostridium paralytica

9.9
A kind of bacteria studied in labs, often found in soil
  • noun
  • /klɒsˈtrɪdiəm pəˈrælɪtɪkə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Clostridium paralytica
  • The laboratory tested the antibiotic resistance of Clostridium paralytica strains.

Examples

  • Researchers are investigating the potential health effects of Clostridium paralytica in humans.

  • Scientists isolated Clostridium paralytica from soil samples collected near the river.

  • Is Clostridium paralytica harmful?

  • The Clostridium paralytica strain was isolated from contaminated soil.

  • The laboratory tested the antibiotic resistance of Clostridium paralytica strains.

  • Researchers are investigating the potential health effects of Clostridium paralytica in humans.

  • Scientists isolated Clostridium paralytica from soil samples collected near the river.

Surface Forms

Morphology

clostridium + paralytica

The term is a binomial scientific name combining the genus Clostridium (a bacterium) with a Latinized epithet 'paralytica' that transparently suggests a relation to paralysis, so the overall meaning (‘a Clostridium species associated with paralysis’ or similar) is compositionally derived. However, 'paralytica' is a medical/Latinized form not in common English and requires morphological or medical knowledge beyond B1, so comprehension is not fully guaranteed for average learners.

Etymology

Clostridium paralytica comes from old Greek and Latin words. Clostridium comes from a Greek word for a 'spindle' because the cells look long and thin, and paralytica comes from a Latin word for 'paralysis', so the name helps you remember it is a bacterium linked to 'paralysis'.