any of an order (Spirochaetales) of slender, flexible, spiral-shaped bacteria, including some species that cause disease, some that are parasitic, and some thatare free-living
: also sp. ˈspiroˌchaete
Derived forms
spirochetal (ˌspiroˈchetal) (ˈspaɪroʊˈkitəl)
adjective
Word origin
< ModL Spirochaeta < Gr speira, spire1 + chaitē, hair