coccus

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: coc=cus

CIDE DICTIONARY

coccus, n. [NL., fr. Gr. grain, seed. See Cochineal.].

•  One of the separable carpels of a dry fruit.  [1913 Webster]
•  A genus of hemipterous insects, including scale insects, and the cochineal insect (Coccus cacti).  [1913 Webster]
•  A form of bacteria, shaped like a globule.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

coccus, n. (pl. cocci) any spherical or roughly spherical bacterium.

Derivative

coccal adj. coccoid adj.

Etymology

mod.L f. Gk kokkos berry

THESAURUS

coccus

adenovirus, aerobe, aerobic bacteria, amoeba, anaerobe, anaerobic bacteria, bacillus, bacteria, bacterium, bug, disease-producing microorganism, echovirus, enterovirus, filterable virus, fungus, germ, gram-negative bacteria, gram-positive bacteria, microbe, microorganism, mold, nonfilterable virus, pathogen, picornavirus, protozoa, protozoon, reovirus, rhinovirus, rickettsia, spirillum, spirochete, spore, staphylococcus, streptococcus, trypanosome, vibrio, virus