bacteria
noun /bækˈtɪəriə/
/bækˈtɪriə/
[plural] (bacterium
/bækˈtɪəriəm/
/bækˈtɪriəm/
)- 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.
Wordfinder- bacteria
- disease
- epidemic
- fever
- illness
- immunity
- infection
- spread
- vaccinate
- virus
Collocations The living worldThe living worldAnimalsTopics Biologyb2, Illnessb2- 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
- 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/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
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- dangerous
- harmful
- beneficial
- …
- attack
- destroy
- fight
- …
- a strain of bacteria
More Like This Easily-confused plural/singular formsEasily-confused plural/singular forms- bacteria/bacterium
- criteria/criterion
- data/datum
- media/medium
- phenomena/phenomenon
- strata/stratum