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Glite Dictionary
Serratia marcescens

Serratia marcescens

1 8.4
A type of bacteria that lives in water, soil, food, and insects and can cause infections in people
  • noun
  • /səˈreɪʃə mɑrˈsɛsəns/
  • Specialized
: Serratia marcescens
  • Serratia marcescens is often found in hospital environments, posing a serious risk to patients with weakened immune systems.
  • Serratia marcescens bacteria

Examples

  • Serratia marcescens is a Gram-negative bacillus-like bacterium, growing in temperatures ranging from 540 degrees C.

    Academic text (2018)

  • Serratia marcescens

    Academic text (2018)

  • The laboratory used Serratia marcescens for scientific testing to study antibiotic resistance in bacteria.

  • Infections caused by Serratia marcescens can lead to severe complications, especially in vulnerable individuals.

Surface Forms

Serratia marcescens singular
Serratia marcescenses plural

Morphology

Serratia + marcescens

This is a Latin binomial taxonomic name: as a proper scientific label it functions like an arbitrary name rather than a compositional phrase. A B1 learner who knows 'Serratia' only as a bacterial genus and does not know the Latin epithet 'marcescens' (or its meaning) cannot derive the species meaning from the constituents, so it is not transparently interpretable.

Etymology

Serratia marcescens is a name made of a person's name and a Latin word. The genus Serratia was named after Serafino Serrati, and marcescens means 'decaying' in Latin because the red colour the bacterium makes often fades, so the name describes this red, fading bacterium.