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Glite Dictionary
enterobacterial

enterobacterial

8.3
Relating to bacteria that live in the intestines and can cause infection
  • adjective
  • /ˌɛntəroʊbɪˈktɛriəl/
  • Specialized
: enterobacteriano
  • The researchers studied the enterobacterial species that are commonly found in the human gut.

Examples

  • Enterobacterial infections can lead to severe gastrointestinal issues if not treated promptly.

  • The laboratory specializes in examining enterobacterial cultures to better understand their role in digestion.

  • We decided to set up an enterobacterial laboratory at the tourist resort so that specimens could be processed without delay.

    Academic text (1992)

  • Although 26 participants had positive results for ESBL-E 6 months after travel, they were not all positive for the same enterobacterial strain that was identified immediately after travel.

    Academic text (2013)

Surface Forms

enterobacterial positive

Morphology

enterobacterial = bacterial (semi-transparent) = entero + bacteria + al

The adjective 'bacterial' is common, but the combining form 'entero-' is a specialized medical prefix meaning 'intestinal' that may be unfamiliar to general learners.

Etymology

Enterobacterial combines the part entero- meaning 'intestine', as in 'intestinal' or 'gut', with bacterial, from bacteria meaning 'tiny living things' or 'germs'. So enterobacterial is about bacteria that live in or come from the intestine, which is why we use it for intestinal bacteria.