cryptococcus

American

[krip-tuh-kok-uhs] / ˌkrɪp təˈkɒk əs /

noun

any yeastlike fungus of the genus Cryptococcus, including C. neoformans, the causative agent of cryptococcosis.

Other Word Forms

cryptococcal adjective

Etymology

Origin of cryptococcus

From New Latin, dating back to 1833; crypto-, -coccus

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The deaths of two unnamed children, a three-year-old and a 10-year-old boy who had a cryptococcus fungal infection listed as contributory factor, are also the subject of the police prosecution report.

From BBC • Jan. 31, 2026

A 10-year-old boy and a 73-year-old woman also died after contracting a cryptococcus infection, linked to pigeon droppings, while being treated at the hospital.

From BBC • Oct. 21, 2024

A 10-year-old boy and a 73-year-old woman died after contracting a cryptococcus infection, linked to pigeon droppings, while being treated at the hospital.

From BBC • Oct. 1, 2024

And it wasn’t cryptococcus, a fungus that infects the brains of people with weakened immune systems.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 21, 2023

While the treatment controls cryptococcus, it does not eliminate the bug completely, and patients must take fluconazole for the rest of their life.

From Time Magazine Archive

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023