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Bacillus

/bəˈsiləs/

Noun, pl. bacilli

1. A taxonomic genus within the family Bacillaceae — the rod-shaped bacteria. (wiktionary.org)

2. Bacillus is a genus of Gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria and a member of the phylum Firmicutes. Bacillus species can be obligate aerobes or facultative anaerobes, and test positive for the enzyme catalase. Ubiquitous in nature, Bacillus includes both free-living and pathogenic species. Under stressful environmental conditions, the cells produce oval endospores that can stay dormant for extended periods. These characteristics originally defined the genus, but not all such species are closely related, and many have been moved to other genera. (wikipedia.org)

3. Aerobic rod-shaped spore-producing bacterium; often occurring in chainlike formations; found primarily in soil. (wordnetweb.princeton.edu)

4. A disease-causing bacterium. (Google Dictionary)

 

*A note on its word format:

The word bacillus (plural bacilli) may be used to describe any rod-shaped bacterium, and such bacilli are found in many different taxonomic groups of bacteria. However, the name Bacillus, capitalized and italicized, refers to a specific genus of bacteria. The name Bacilli, capitalized but not italicized, can also refer to a more specific taxonomic class of bacteria that includes two orders, one of which contains the genus Bacillus.

Bacilli are usually solitary, but can combine to form diplobacilli, streptobacilli, and palisades. (<em>wikipedia.org</em>)

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