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Definition of salmonella

salmonella

/ˌsæl.məˈnɛl.ə/
sal · mo · nel · la
Plural:salmonellae
•
Adjective:salmonellal
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salmonella Lexical Profile

salmonella Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

Food poisoning or acute gastroenteritis caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with bacteria of the genus Salmonella, characterized by abdominal cramps, fever, and diarrhea.

Example

"Thoroughly cooking poultry and eggs is one of the most effective ways to prevent contracting salmonella."

2

Any of various rod-shaped, Gram-negative enterobacteria of the genus Salmonella within the family Enterobacteriaceae, which inhabit the intestinal tracts of humans and other animals and frequently contaminate raw poultry, eggs, and meat.

Synonyms
View all synonyms for salmonella

Word Nuance & Usage

Despite the spelling, 'salmonella' has no etymological connection to the fish 'salmon', and the 'l' in the first syllable is typically pronounced rather than silent.

• Rhymes for salmonella

• Nearby Words

salmon
salmon river
salmonberry
salmonella
salome
salon
salonica

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in Modern Latin in 1900 in honor of Daniel Elmer Salmon (1850–1914), an American veterinary pathologist whose research assistant, Theobald Smith, first isolated the bacterium from pigs in 1885.

Cite this Entry

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