genus Clostridium

8.1

A group of rod-shaped bacteria that live with little oxygen and often in soil or animal intestines

noun
/ˈdʒɛnəs klɒsˈtrɪdiəm/

Specialized

: género Clostridium

Tetanus is caused by a species within the genus Clostridium, which thrives in environments lacking oxygen.

Examples

Researchers observed the presence of genus Clostridium in the soil samples collected from the farm.
Certain bacteria in the genus Clostridium can cause severe foodborne illnesses if food is improperly preserved.
The genus Clostridium includes several pathogenic species.
Many bacteria in the genus Clostridium are anaerobic.
Certain bacteria in the genus Clostridium can cause severe foodborne illnesses if food is improperly preserved.
Researchers observed the presence of genus Clostridium in the soil samples collected from the farm.
The genus Clostridium includes several microorganisms that thrive in low-oxygen environments.

Synonyms

clostridium

vsgenus Clostridium

Specialized

1 9.9

A kind of bacteria that often lives without oxygen and can cause disease in people and animals

focuses on environmental habitats and micro-aerophilic varieties rather than disease emphasis

Surface Forms

genus Clostridium singular

genera Clostridium plural

Morphology

genus + clostridium

The meaning is directly compositional: 'genus' (a biological rank grouping species) combined with 'Clostridium' (the name of a bacterial genus) yields the taxonomic group called Clostridium. This is a standard, cross-linguistically parallel scientific naming pattern, so a learner who knows both constituent words can readily understand the phrase.

Etymology

Genus Clostridium may come from an old Greek word for 'spindle' because many of these bacteria are long and narrow like a tiny spindle. So the name helps you remember that this 'genus' is a group of rod- or spindle-shaped bacteria often found in soil and animal intestines.