a. [ L. ab + E. actinal. ] (Zool.) Pertaining to the surface or end opposite to the mouth in a radiate animal; -- opposed to actinal. “The aboral or abactinal area.” L. Agassiz. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Stealing cattle on a large scale. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., fr. abigere to drive away; ab + agere to drive. ] (Law) One who steals and drives away cattle or beasts by herds or droves. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. amylum starch + NL. bacterium. See Bacterium. ] (Biol.) A microörganism (Bacillus amylobacter) which develops in vegetable tissue during putrefaction. Sternberg. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Med.) (a) killing or inhibiting the growth of bacteria; -- applied also to serum for protection against bacterial diseases. (b) Opposed to the bacterial theory of disease. [ archaic ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

n. (Med.) a chemical substance which kills or inhibits the growth of bacteria. [ PJC ]

, n. (Microbiol.) A group of single-celled microorganisms including the methanogens and some halophiles and thermoacidophiles, recognized in the 1970's by C. R. Woese and his colleagues as being a distinct group on the basis of RNA sequences, cell walls, and coenzymes differing from those of other microbes. It is believed to be an ancient form of living organism that evolved separately from the eubacteria and blue-green algae. It is classified as a separate kingdom by some taxonomists. See also The Archaebacteria. [ PJC ]

n. The presence of bacteria in the blood.
Syn. -- bacteriemia. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. Of or pertaining to bacteremia. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. pl. See Bacterium. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Biol.) Of, pertaining to, or caused by bacteria. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Destructive of bacteria. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Bacterium + L. caedere to kill ] (Biol.) Same as Germicide. [ 1913 Webster ]

pos>n. The presence of bacteria in the blood; same as bacteremia. [ PJC ]

n. (Med.) A bacterial vaccine. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. Of or pertaining to bacteriology; as, bacteriological studies. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One skilled in bacteriology. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Bacterium + -logy. ] (Biol.) The branch of microbiology relating to bacteria. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL.; fr. Gr. bakth`rion, ba`ktron, a staff + &unr_; a loosing. ] 1. Chemical decomposition brought about by bacteria without the addition of oxygen. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. The destruction or dissolution of bacterial cells. -- Bac*te`ri*o*lyt"ic a. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

n. sing. & pl. a virus which infects bacteria; -- also colloquially called phage in laboratory jargon. Bacteriophages are of many varieties, generally specific for one or a narrow range of bacterial species, and almost every bacterium is susceptible to at least one bacteriophage. They may have DNA or RNA as their genetic component. Certain types of bacteriophage, called
temperate bacteriophage, may infect but not kill their host bacteria, residing in and replicating either as a plasmid or integrated into the host genome. Under certain conditions, a resident temperate phage may become induced to multiply rapidly and vegetatively, killing and lysing its host bacterium, and producing multiple progeny. The lambda phage of Eschericia coli, much studied in biochemical and genetic research, is of the temperate type. [ PJC ]

adj. 1. of or pertaining to bacteriophage. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. (Biol.) Relating to bacterioscopy; as, a bacterioscopic examination. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Biol.) One skilled in bacterioscopic examinations. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Bacterium + -scopy; fr. Gr. bakth`rion, ba`ktron, a staff + skopei^n to view. ] (Biol.) 1. The application of a knowledge of bacteria for their detection and identification, as in the examination of polluted water. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Microscopic examination or investigation of bacteria. -- Bac*te`ri*o*scop"ic a. -- *scop"ic*al*ly adv. -- Bac*te`ri*os"co*pist n. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

n. inhibition of the growth of bacteria, without outright killing of the organism. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

n. a chemical or biological material that inhibits bacterial growth. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. 1. of or pertaining to bacteriostasis or a bacteriostat. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. causing bacteriostasis; -- said of chemical substances, such as certain antibacterial agents. [ PJC ]

☞ Substances, such as antibiotics, which inhibit bacterial growth are usually classified as bacteriostatic or bacteriocidal depending on the rate at which bacteria exposed to the agents{ 4 } die. The rates of death of bacteria exposed to antibacterial agents{ 4 } are, however, dependent on the concentration of the agent{ 4 }, and form a continuum with some antibacterial agents{ 4 } of intermediate type. The penicillins are considered as typical bactericidal agents, and chloramphenicol or the sulfa drugs as typical bacteriostatic agents. In general, inhibitors of cell-wall synthesis will be bactericidal and many inhibitors of protein synthesis are classed as bacteriostatic, but some of the aminoglycosides also kill bacteria rapidly. [ PJC ]

v. to subject to the action of bacteria.
Syn. -- bacterize. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n.; pl. Bacteria [ NL., fr. Gr. bakth`rion, ba`ktron, a staff: cf. F. bactérie. ] (Biol.) A microscopic single-celled organism having no distinguishable nucleus, belonging to the kingdom Monera. Bacteria have varying shapes, usually taking the form of a jointed rodlike filament, or a small sphere, but also in certain cases having a branched form. Bacteria are destitute of chlorophyll, but in those members of the phylum Cyanophyta (the blue-green algae) other light-absorbing pigments are present. They are the smallest of microscopic organisms which have their own metabolic processes carried on within cell membranes, viruses being smaller but not capable of living freely. The bacteria are very widely diffused in nature, and multiply with marvelous rapidity, both by fission and by spores. Bacteria may require oxygen for their energy-producing metabolism, and these are called aerobes; or may multiply in the absence of oxygen, these forms being anaerobes. Certain species are active agents in fermentation, while others appear to be the cause of certain infectious diseases. The branch of science with studies bacteria is bacteriology, being a division of microbiology. See Bacillus. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

v. to subject to the action of bacteria.
Syn. -- bacterise. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

{ } a. [ Bacterium + -oid. ] (Biol.) Resembling bacteria; as, bacteroid particles. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to Bactria in Asia. -- n. A native of Bactria. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bactrian camel, the two-humped camel. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Coccobacteria [ NL., fr. Gr. &unr_; a grain + NL. bacterium. So called from its round shape. ] (Biol.) One of the round variety of bacteria, a vegetable organism, generally less than a thousandth of a millimeter in diameter. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (MIcrobiol.) Any member of the genus Corynebacterium, consisting of gram-positive usually nonmotile irregularly rod-shaped bacteria, some of which are pathogenic or parasitic in humans and domestic animals, such as Corynebacterium diphtheriae, which causes diphtheria. [ PJC ]

pl. [ from the pigment phycocyanin. ] any of a group of photosynthetic autotrophic prokaryotic microorganisms possessing characteristics of both bacteria and plants. When classed as bacteria, they are assigned to the Cyanobacteria; when classed as plants, they are assigned to the Cyanophyta. They were earlier named blue-green algae, a term less used now in technical discussions. Since the chlorophyll within the cyanobacteria is diffused throughout the cell, rather than being contained in chloroplasts, they are no longer thought of as true plants. [ PJC ]

‖n. pl. [ Gr. desmo`s bond + E. bacteria. ] See Microbacteria. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. rod-shaped gram-negative bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae; most occur normally or pathogenically in intestines of humans and other animals; some, such as those of the genus Erwinia, are found in plants.
Syn. -- enteric bacteria, enterics. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

prop. n. (Microbiol.) a natural family of rod-shaped gram-negative bacteria, most of which occur normally or pathogenically in intestines of humans and other animals, and some of which grow in plants. The type genus is Escherichia. They are aerobic and facultatively anaerobic, and may be motile or non-motile. Most are easily cultured on artificial growth media. Both pathogenic and non-pathogenic strains exist. [ PJC ]

a. Of or pertaining to the enterobacteria. [ PJC ]

n. one of the enterobacteria; a member of the family Enterobacteriaceae.
Syn. -- enteric bacterium, enteric. [ PJC ]

n. one of two usually recognized orders of true bacteria; gram-positive spherical or rod-shaped forms; some are motile; in some classifications it is considered an order of Schizomycetes.
Syn. -- order Eubacteriales. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n.; pl. halobacteria or halobacters Any halophilic bacterium of the archaebacteria group, expecially of the genera Halobacterium and Halococcus, which live in saline environments such as the Dead Sea or salt flats.
Syn. -- halobacteria, halobacter. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

‖n. pl. [ NL. See Micro-, and Bacterium. ] (Biol.) In the classification of Cohn, one of the four tribes of Bacteria. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In this classification bacteria are divided into four tribes: 1. Spherobacteria, or spherical bacteria, as the genus Micrococcus. 2. Microbacteria, or bacteria in the form of short rods, including the genus Bacterium. 3. Desmobacteria, or bacteria in straight filaments, of which the genus Bacillus is a type. 4. Spirobacteria, or bacteria in spiral filaments, as the genus Vibrio. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. A group of rod-shaped bacteria, some saprophytic or causing diseases.
Syn. -- mycobacterium. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n.; pl. mycobacteria Any of various rod-shaped bacteria, some saprophytic or causing diseases. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

prop. n. (Microbiol.) One genus of myxobacteria. [ PJC +PJC ]

prop. n. A family of bacteria living mostly in soils and on dung; called also Polyangiaceae.
Syn. -- Polyangiaceae, family Polyangiaceae, family Myxobacteriaceae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n.; pl. myxobacteria A type of bacteria that form colonies in self-produced slime; they inhabit moist soils or decaying plant matter or animal waste.
Syn. -- myxobacterium, myxobacter, gliding bacteria, slime bacteria. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

prop. n. A genus of rod-shaped soil bacteria.
Syn. -- genus Nitrobacter. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. Soil bacteria that convert nitrites to nitrates.
Syn. -- nitric bacteria. [ WordNet 1.5 ]