E. coli
noun
plural E. coli
: an enterobacterium (Escherichia coli) that is used in public health as an indicator of fecal pollution (as of water or food) and in medicine and genetics as a research organism and that occurs in various strains that may live as harmless inhabitants of the human lower intestine or may produce a toxin causing intestinal illness see enterobacterium illustration
Examples of E. coli in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
McDonald's said its sales are continuing to recover from an E. coli outbreak last fall tied to its Quarter Pounder hamburgers.
—
Dee-Ann Durbin The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 11 Feb. 2025
If there’s an E. coli outbreak, the CDC will send epidemiologists, who will evaluate the symptoms on the ground and try to find the source of the outbreak.
—Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 7 Feb. 2025
One of the outbreaks this year, on Silversea Cruises' Silver Ray voyage in January, was caused by E. coli, the CDC said.
—Lucia Suarez Sang, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2025
Faith in the river’s purity has also been emboldened by research on high levels of oxygenation of the river water from algae and concentrations of the bacteriophage virus in the Ganga’s shallow pools, capable of eliminating harmful bacteria like E. coli.
—Sudipta Sen, The Conversation, 5 Feb. 2025
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Dee-Ann Durbin The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 11 Feb. 2025
If there’s an E. coli outbreak, the CDC will send epidemiologists, who will evaluate the symptoms on the ground and try to find the source of the outbreak.
—Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 7 Feb. 2025
One of the outbreaks this year, on Silversea Cruises' Silver Ray voyage in January, was caused by E. coli, the CDC said.
—Lucia Suarez Sang, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2025
Faith in the river’s purity has also been emboldened by research on high levels of oxygenation of the river water from algae and concentrations of the bacteriophage virus in the Ganga’s shallow pools, capable of eliminating harmful bacteria like E. coli.
—Sudipta Sen, The Conversation, 5 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for E. coli
Cite this Entry
“E. coli.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/E.%20coli. Accessed 14 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
E. coli
noun
plural E. coli
: a bacterium in the shape of a short rod that may cause intestinal illness
Etymology
short for Escherichia coli, the taxonomic name in biology
Medical Definition
E. coli
nounˌē-ˈkō-ˌlī
plural E. coli also E. colis
: a straight rod-shaped gram-negative bacterium (Escherichia coli of the family Enterobacteriaceae) that is used in public health as an indicator of fecal pollution (as of water or food) and in medicine and genetics as a research organism and that occurs in various strains that may live as harmless inhabitants of the human lower intestine or may produce a toxin causing intestinal illness marked especially by diarrhea
one million acid-resistant E. coli per gram of feces—John Schwartz
John Schwartzthis E. coli can survive … longer than all the other E. colis—Ed Geldreich
Ed GeldreichLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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