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Glite Dictionary
genus Chlamydia

genus Chlamydia

8.4
Bacteria that live inside body cells and cause disease
  • noun
  • /ˈdʒɛnəs klæˈmɪdiə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : género Chlamydia
  • The genus Chlamydia consists of bacteria that can only survive and reproduce inside host cells.

Examples

  • The genus Chlamydia, which includes the trachoma bacterium, comprises bacteria whose reproductive strategy and small size at one time led people to consider them viruses.

    Academic text (2004)

  • The genus Chlamydia is known for causing various human infections, including trachoma and chlamydia.

  • Researchers are studying the genus Chlamydia to better understand its role in human diseases.

Synonyms

chlamydia
vsgenus Chlamydia
  • Specialized
3 6.3

A group of bacteria that cause infections in humans and animals, often in the eyes or lungs

is the precise taxonomic genus in that family specific to obligate intracellular parasites

Surface Forms

genus Chlamydia singular
genera Chlamydia plural

Morphology

genus + chlamydia

The phrase is a straightforward taxonomic composition: 'genus' (a biological rank grouping related species) + 'Chlamydia' (the taxon name), so its meaning as the group of species called Chlamydia is directly derivable from the constituents. Although the term is scientific in register, this pattern of noun + proper taxon name is cross-linguistically common and would be transparent to a B1 learner who knows both words.

Etymology

Genus Chlamydia gets its name from a Greek word meaning 'cloak' because Chlamydia bacteria live hidden inside other cells, like something under a cloak. That's why the name fits this group of disease-causing bacteria that hide 'inside cells'.