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coccus
1[ kok-uhs ]
noun
- Bacteriology. a spherical bacterium.
- Botany. one of the carpels of a schizocarp.
-coccus
2- a combining form representing coccus in compound words:
streptococcus.
coccus
/ kŏk′əs /
, Plural cocci kŏk′sī,kŏk′ī
- Any of various bacteria having a round or ovoid form such as streptococcus or staphylococcus , usually grouped in chains.
Derived Forms
- ˈcoccous, adjective
- ˈcoccoid, adjective
Other Words From
- coccal coc·cic [kok, -sik], adjective
- coccous adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of coccus1
Word History and Origins
Origin of coccus1
Example Sentences
Each insect, known as Dactylopius coccus, must be bred to a larvae stage and “planted” on a previously wounded cactus pad, and then left for months to feed and mature.
“Tersi” is Latin for clean, as in clean room, and “coccus” comes from Greek and describes the bacterium in this genus’s berrylike shape.
Its use raised objections by vegans and vegetarians because it comes from the Dactylopius coccus, a small white insect gives a vibrant red color when crushed.
This word also appears in Fr. coq, and medieval Lat. coccus.
Thallus orbicular, 3–6´´ broad, covered by the clustered inflated involucres, which are nearly 1´´ long, 3–4 times the length of the capsule; coccus 102–127 µ wide, indistinctly lobed.
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Words That Use -coccus
What does -coccus mean?
The combining form –coccus is used like a suffix meaning “coccus.” Coccus is a scientific term with two meanings. In terms from bacteriology, it means “spherical bacterium.” In terms from botany, it refers to the mericarp, one segment of a schizocarp, a kind of fruit.
The form –coccus comes from Greek kókkos, meaning “grain, seed, or berry.” The Latin equivalent of kókkos is grānum, “grain” or “seed,” which is the source of words such as grain, granite, and granular. Discover more at our entry for each word.
What are variants of –coccus?
While –coccus doesn’t have any variants, it is related to the form –coccal, as in streptococcal. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article for –coccal.
Examples of -coccus
An example of a word you may have encountered that features –coccus is streptococcus, the type of bacteria that can cause such illnesses as scarlet fever and strep throat. Streptococcus comes from Latin, which uses the equivalent form in that language.
Strepto– means “twisted,” from Greek streptós, while the form –coccus means “coccus.” Streptococcus literally translates to “twisted coccus.”
What are some words that use the equivalent of the combining form –coccus in Latin?
What are some other forms that –coccus may be commonly confused with?
Break it down!
The combining form micro– means “small.” With this in mind, what does the name of the bacteria micrococcus literally mean?
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