German word

Bakterium

Pronunciation

IPA/bakˈteːʁi̯ʊm/

Meaning

  • neuter nounbacterium

Example

Ein Bakterium kann Krankheiten verursachen.

A bacterium can cause disease.

Illustration for Bakterium (bacterium)

More examples

In manchen Lebensmitteln ist ein nützliches Bakterium enthalten.

Some foods contain a beneficial bacterium.

Core concept

A microscope reveals a minute living cell shaped like a short rod or round bead.

Common phrases

  • ein Bakterium bekämpfen

    fight a bacterium

  • ein Bakterium entdecken

    discover a bacterium

Similar words

Keim: A colloquial term for a tiny microorganism that can cause illness or spoilage.
Erreger: A pathogen that causes an infectious disease.
Virus: A very small pathogen that enters living cells and multiplies inside them.
Mikroorganismus: A general term for an organism visible only through a microscope.

Definition in German

ein mikroskopisch kleines, meist einzelliges Lebewesen ohne Zellkern, das in verschiedenen Formen wie Stäbchen oder Kugeln vorkommen kann

Word origin

Bakterium is a learned borrowing from New Latin, ultimately based on Greek bakterion, a diminutive meaning "little rod" or "small staff."

Usage tips

  • Use das Bakterium for one organism and die Bakterien for more than one, rather than transferring the English plural bacteria into German.

Other meanings

  • germnoun

Related words

  • antibakteriellantibacterialadjective
  • Bakterientyptype of bacteriumnoun

Word lists with this word