coccus

¹

[ kok-uhs ]

noun

, plural coc·ci [kok, -sahy, -see].

1. Bacteriology. a spherical bacterium.
2. Botany. one of the carpels of a schizocarp.

-coccus

²

1. a combining form representing coccus in compound words:

   streptococcus.

coccus

/ ˈkɒkəs; ˈkɒksɪk /

noun

1. any spherical or nearly spherical bacterium, such as a staphylococcus Compare bacillus spirillum
2. the part of a fruit that contains one seed and separates from the whole fruit at maturity
3. any of the scale insects of the genus Coccus

coccus

/ kŏk′əs /

, Plural cocci kŏk′sī,kŏk′ī

1. 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

• coccal coc·cic [kok, -sik], adjective
• coccous adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of coccus¹

1755–65; < New Latin < Greek kókkos grain, seed, berry

Word History and Origins

Origin of coccus¹

C18: from New Latin, from Greek kokkos berry, grain

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.

From Seattle Times

“Tersi” is Latin for clean, as in clean room, and “coccus” comes from Greek and describes the bacterium in this genus’s berrylike shape.

From Scientific American

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.

From Scientific American

This word also appears in Fr. coq, and medieval Lat. coccus.

From Project Gutenberg

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.

From Project Gutenberg

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?

• cryptococcus
• diplococcus
• echinococcus
• meningococcus
• micrococcus
• pneumococcus

What are some other forms that –coccus may be commonly confused with?

• -coel
• -colous

Break it down!

The combining form micro– means “small.” With this in mind, what does the name of the bacteria micrococcus literally mean?