enterobacteria

[ en-tuh-roh-bak-teer-ee-uh ]

plural noun

, singular en·ter·o·bac·te·ri·um [en-t, uh, -roh-bak-, teer, -ee-, uh, m].

1. rod-shaped Gram-negative bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae, as those of the genera Escherichia, Salmonella, and Shigella, occurring normally or pathogenically in the intestines of humans and other animals, and the genus Erwinia, occurring in plants.

Other Words From

• enter·o·bac·teri·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of enterobacteria¹

First recorded in 1950–55; entero- + bacteria

Example Sentences

The scientists analyzed samples from each for the presence of enterobacteria, a family of bacteria that includes such harmful pathogens as Salmonella, Escherichia coli, and Shigella, as well as numerous harmless strains.

From Science Magazine

But part of the digestive power likely derives from tannin-protein-complex-degrading enterobacteria—microbes that can break down tannins.

From Scientific American

An excretion similar to feces, pap is rich in microbes from the mother's digestive tract, including a particularly high number of the live tannin-protein-complex-degrading enterobacteria.

From Scientific American