E. coli
noun
\ ˌē-ˈkō-ˌlī
\
\
plural E. coli
Definition of 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
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for E. coli
E. coli
noun
English Language Learners Definition of E. coli
: a kind of bacteria that is sometimes in food and water and that can make people sick
See the full definition for E. coli in the English Language Learners Dictionary
E. coli
noun
\ ˌē-ˈkō-ˌlī\
plural E. coli
also E. colis
Medical Definition of E. coli
: 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 this E. coli can survive…longer than all the other E. colis— Ed Geldreich