spirillum

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/spaɪˈrɪləm/US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(spī ril′əm)


WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
spi•ril•lum  (spī ril′əm),USA pronunciation n., pl. -ril•la (-ril′ə).USA pronunciation [Bacteriol.]
  1. Microbiologyany of several spirally twisted, aerobic bacteria of the genus Spirillum, certain species of which are pathogenic for humans. See diag. under bacteria. 
  2. Microbiologyany of various similar microorganisms.
  • Neo-Latin, equivalent. to Latin spīr(a) (see spire2) + -illum diminutive suffix
  • 1870–75
spi•ril′lar, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
spirillum / spaɪˈrɪləm/ ( -la / -lə/)
  1. any bacterium having a curved or spirally twisted rodlike body
    Compare coccus1, bacillus1
  2. any bacterium of the genus Spirillum, such as S. minus, which causes ratbite fever
Etymology: 19th Century: from New Latin, literally: a little coil, from spīra a coil
'spirillum' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
bacillus - coccus - ratbite fever - volutin

Forum discussions with the word(s) "spirillum" in the title:


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