archaebacteria

[ ahr-kee-bak-teer-ee-uh ]

plural noun,singular ar·chae·bac·te·ri·um [ahr-kee-bak-teer-ee-uhm]. /ˌɑr ki bækˈtɪər i əm/. Microbiology.
  1. a former term for the archaea, which in the three-domain system are no longer classified, either in kingdom or domain, with the bacteria.

Origin of archaebacteria

1
First recorded in 1975–80; from New Latin; Archae- is irregular for archaeo- (perhaps an erroneous Latinizing of Greek arche- ); see origin at arche-,archaeo-, bacteria
  • Also ar·chae·o·bac·te·ri·a [ahr-kee-oh-bak-teer-ee-uh]. /ˌɑr ki oʊ bækˈtɪər i ə/.

Words Nearby archaebacteria

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British Dictionary definitions for archaebacteria

archaebacteria

/ (ˌɑːkɪbækˈtɪərɪə) /


pl n
  1. (formerly) a group of microorganisms now regarded as members of the Archaea: See archaean

Origin of archaebacteria

1
from archaeo- + bacteria

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012