What does "mycobacterium" mean?

Any of many rod-shaped, aerobic bacteria, of the genus Mycobacterium, that cause diseases such as tuberculosis and leprosy.

What is a synonym for "mycobacterium"?

Common synonyms include: mycobacteria, mycobacteria.

Mycobacterium

noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1
Any of many rod-shaped, aerobic bacteria, of the genus Mycobacterium, that cause diseases such as tuberculosis and leprosy.
2
rod-shaped bacteria some saprophytic or causing diseases wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms

mycobacteria mycobacteria

Example

More examples

"The new blood test promises to provide that speedy diagnosis. Investigators say it can tell within hours whether someone is infected with mycobacterium, the pathogen that causes tuberculosis."

Etymology

From myco- + bacterium.

More for "mycobacterium"

Synonyms Sentences Pronunciation Translate

Next best steps

Find stronger synonyms See usage examples Check pronunciation Browse writing guides

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.