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Definition of bacteria noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

bacteria

noun
 
/bækˈtɪəriə/
 
/bækˈtɪriə/
[plural]
(singular bacterium
 
/bækˈtɪəriəm/
 
/bækˈtɪriəm/
)
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  1. the simplest and smallest forms of life. Bacteria exist in large numbers in air, water and soil, and also in living and dead creatures and plants, and are often a cause of disease.
    • Neither chilling nor freezing kills all bacteria.
    • antibiotic-resistant bacteria
    • Food that is contaminated with bacteria may not look or smell bad.
    • The spots can become infected with bacteria.
    • Raw meat and poultry may contain harmful bacteria.
    • These beneficial bacteria already naturally reside in the intestines.
    • There are many different strains of this bacterium.
    Collocations The living worldThe living worldAnimals
    • animals mate/​breed/​reproduce/​feed (on something)
    • fish/​amphibians swim/​spawn (= lay eggs)
    • birds fly/​migrate/​nest/​sing
    • insects crawl/​fly/​bite/​sting
    • insects/​bees/​locusts swarm
    • bees collect/​gather nectar/​pollen
    • spiders spin/​weave a web
    • snakes/​lizards shed their skins
    • bears/​hedgehogs/​frogs hibernate
    • insect larvae grow/​develop/​pupate
    • an egg/​a chick/​a larva hatches
    • attract/​find/​choose a mate
    • produce/​release eggs/​sperm
    • lay/​fertilize/​incubate/​hatch eggs
    • inhabit a forest/​a reef/​the coast
    • mark/​enter/​defend (a) territory
    • stalk/​hunt/​capture/​catch/​kill prey
    Plants and fungi
    • trees/​plants grow/​bloom/​blossom/​flower
    • a seed germinates/​sprouts
    • leaves/​buds/​roots/​shoots appear/​develop/​form
    • flower buds swell/​open
    • a fungus grows/​spreads/​colonizes something
    • pollinate/​fertilize a flower/​plant
    • produce/​release/​spread/​disperse pollen/​seeds/​spores
    • produce/​bear fruit
    • develop/​grow/​form roots/​shoots/​leaves
    • provide/​supply/​absorb/​extract/​release nutrients
    • perform/​increase/​reduce photosynthesis
    Bacteria and viruses
    • bacteria/​microbes/​viruses grow/​spread/​multiply
    • bacteria/​microbes live/​thrive in/​on something
    • bacteria/​microbes/​viruses evolve/​colonize something/​cause disease
    • bacteria break something down/​convert something (into something)
    • a virus enters/​invades something/​the body
    • a virus mutates/​evolves/​replicates (itself)
    • be infected with/​contaminated with/​exposed to a new strain of a virus/​drug-resistant bacteria
    • contain/​carry/​harbour bacteria/​a virus
    • kill/​destroy/​eliminate harmful/​deadly bacteria
    Topics Biologyb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • dangerous
    • harmful
    • beneficial
    verb + bacteria
    • attack
    • destroy
    • fight
    phrases
    • a strain of bacteria
    See full entry
    More Like This Easily-confused plural/​singular formsEasily-confused plural/​singular forms
See bacteria in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee bacteria in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
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adjective
 
 
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