penicillium

noun
pen·​i·​cil·​li·​um | \ ˌpe-nə-ˈsi-lē-əm How to pronounce penicillium (audio) \
plural penicillia\ ˌpe-​nə-​ˈsi-​lē-​ə How to pronounce penicillia (audio) \

Definition of penicillium

: any of a genus (Penicillium) of fungi (such as a blue mold) that are found chiefly on moist nonliving organic matter (such as decaying fruit) and have been grouped with the imperfect fungi but are now often placed with the ascomycetes

Examples of penicillium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Blue cheese, which has been ripened with cultures of the mold penicillium, includes varieties such as Stilton and Gorgonzola. Jenna Birch, Washington Post, "From feta to American slices, a ranking of cheeses by healthfulness," 2 Sep. 2019

First Known Use of penicillium

1867, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for penicillium

New Latin, from Latin penicillus

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More Definitions for penicillium

penicillium

noun
pen·​i·​cil·​li·​um | \ ˌpen-ə-ˈsil-ē-əm How to pronounce penicillium (audio) \

Medical Definition of penicillium

1 capitalized : a genus of fungi (as the blue molds) that have been grouped with the imperfect fungi but are now often placed with the ascomycetes and that are found chiefly on moist nonliving organic matter (as decaying fruit), are characterized by the erect branching conidiophores ending in tufts of club-shaped cells from which conidia are formed in chains, and include molds useful in economic fermentation and the production of antibiotics
2 plural penicillia\ -​ē-​ə How to pronounce penicillia (audio)\ : any mold of the genus Penicillium