coccus

coccus
coccal, coccic /kok"sik/, adj.coccous, adj.
/kok"euhs/, n., pl. cocci /-suy, -see/.
1. Bacteriol. a spherical bacterium. See diag. under bacteria.
2. Bot. one of the carpels of a schizocarp.
[1755-65; < NL < Gk kókkos grain, seed, berry]

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Spherical bacterium.

Many species have characteristic arrangements that are useful in identification. Pairs of cocci are called diplococci; rows or chains, streptococci (see streptococcus); grapelike clusters, staphylococci (see staphylococcus); packets of eight or more cells, sarcinae; and groups of four cells in a square arrangement, tetrads. These characteristic groupings occur as a result of variations in the reproduction process.

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▪ bacterial shape

      in microbiology, a spherical-shaped bacterium. Many species of bacteria have characteristic arrangements that are useful in identification. Pairs of cocci are called diplococci; rows or chains of such cells are called streptococci; (Streptococcus) grapelike clusters of cells, staphylococci; (staphylococcus) packets of eight or more cells, sarcinae; and groups of four cells in a square arrangement, tetrads. These characteristic groupings occur as a result of variations in the reproduction process in bacteria. See also staphylococcus; Streptococcus.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • coccus — [ kɔkys ] n. m. • 1896; bot. 1752; lat. coccum « grain », du gr. ♦ Microbiol. Bactérie sphérique. Des coccus ou des cocci. ● coccus, cocci nom masculin (latin coccum, grain, du grec kokkos) Bactérie de forme arrondie ou ovalaire. ⇒COCCUS, subst.… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Coccus — Coc cus, n.; pl. {Cocci}. [NL., fr. Gr. ? grain, seed. See {Cochineal}.] 1. (Bot.) One of the separable carpels of a dry fruit. [1913 Webster] 2. (Zo[ o]l.) A genus of hemipterous insects, including scale insects, and the cochineal insect… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Coccus — Coccus, Gattung der Halbdeckflügler od. Schnabelkerfe, s. Schildlaus. Daher Coccusroth, der rothe Farbestoff der Coccus Arten, so v. w. Karmin, s.d …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • -coccus — [käk′əs] combining form forming nouns coccus: used in names of various bacteria [gonococcus] …   English World dictionary

  • Coccus [1] — Coccus, soviel wie Micrococcus …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Coccus [2] — Coccus, Schildlaus; Coccidae, Schildläuse; Familie aus der Ordnung der Halbflügler; s. Schildläuse …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Coccus — Coccus, s. Schildläuse …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • coccus — COCCUS. Voyez Kermès …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • Coccus — vgl. Kokke …   Das Wörterbuch medizinischer Fachausdrücke

  • coccus — 1763 as an insect genus (including the COCHINEAL (Cf. cochineal) bug); 1883 as a type of bacterium, from Gk. kokkos grain, seed, berry …   Etymology dictionary

  • coccus — ► NOUN (pl. cocci) Biology ▪ any spherical or roughly spherical bacterium. DERIVATIVES coccal adjective coccoid adjective. ORIGIN originally denoting a scale insect: from Greek kokkos berry …   English terms dictionary

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