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Definition of bacterial

bacterial

/bækˈtɪr.i.əl/
bac · te · ri · al
Adverb:bacterially
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bacterial Lexical Profile

bacterial Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Relating to, involving, or caused by bacteria.

Example

"The doctor prescribed a course of antibiotics after confirming that the patient had a bacterial infection rather than a viral illness."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for bacterial

• Nearby Words

bacne
bacon
bacopa
bacterial
bactericide
bacterium
bactrian camel

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the late 19th century from Modern Latin 'bacterium'—which derives from the Ancient Greek 'baktērion' meaning 'small rod' or 'little staff' (referring to the rod-like shape of the first observed microbes)—combined with the adjectival suffix '-al'.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Bacterial. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/bacterial
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