campylobacter

noun

cam·​pylo·​bac·​ter ˌkam-pi-lō-ˈbak-tər How to pronounce campylobacter (audio)
kam-ˌpi-lə-
: any of a genus (Campylobacter) of spirally curved motile gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria of which some are pathogenic in domestic animals and humans

Examples of campylobacter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Of the 165 who fell ill, 162 were in California and four people were also infected with campylobacter and/or E. coli bacteria. Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 11 July 2024 Raw milk is far more likely than pasteurized milk to cause illnesses and hospitalizations linked to dangerous bacteria such as campylobacter, listeria, salmonella and E. coli, research shows. Jonel Aleccia, Fortune, 14 May 2024 Raw milk can carry bacteria such as salmonella, E. coli, listeria, and campylobacter, and was associated with 1,909 illnesses between 1993 and 2012, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 3 May 2024 These diseases include bacterial infections like campylobacter and salmonella and parasitic infections like cryptosporidium, giardia and tapeworm. Symptoms can include abdominal cramping, diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Katia Hetter, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for campylobacter 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'campylobacter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek kampylos bent + New Latin bacterium; akin to Greek kampē bend — more at gambit

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of campylobacter was in 1964

Dictionary Entries Near campylobacter

Cite this Entry

“Campylobacter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/campylobacter. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Medical Definition

campylobacter

noun
cam·​py·​lo·​bac·​ter ˈkam-pə-lō-ˌbak-tər How to pronounce campylobacter (audio)
1
capitalized : a genus of slender spirally curved rod bacteria of the family Spirillaceae that are gram-negative, microaerophilic, and motile with a characteristic motion resembling a corkscrew, that do not form spores, and that include forms formerly included in the genus Spirillum or Vibrio of which some are pathogenic for domestic animals or humans see helicobacter
2
: any bacterium of the genus Campylobacter

More from Merriam-Webster on campylobacter

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!