WordValebacteria
single-celled microorganisms, some causing disease
In more detail
1. (noun) very small living organisms that are found everywhere in nature; some cause disease in humans, animals, and plants, while others are useful
2. (noun) plural of bacterium
Examples
- 1. Bacteria on your hands can make you sick if you don't wash them.
- 2. The scientist studied different bacteria under a microscope.
How to use bacteria
Bacteria is used as both a plural noun (from the Latin bacterium) and increasingly as a mass noun in modern English, especially in medical and scientific contexts. It refers to single-celled prokaryotic organisms, some pathogenic and others essential for fermentation, digestion, or soil health. The term is neutral and technical but widely used in everyday health and science discussions.
Common phrases
- harmful bacteria
- beneficial bacteria
- bacterial infection
- bacteria growth
- destroy bacteria
- bacteria spread
Synonyms
microorganisms · germs · microbes · pathogens
Word family
bacterium (singular) · bacterial (adjective) · bacterially (adverb)
A common mistake
Treating 'bacteria' as singular (e.g., 'a bacteria' instead of 'a bacterium' or 'one bacterium'); using it with singular verbs in formal scientific writing.
Save this word in WordVale and it comes back for review right before you'd forget it — with pronunciation, real examples, and optional translations. One purchase, no subscription.
Get WordValeFREE 7-DAY TRIAL · iPHONE & iPAD