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
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After storms, especially near discharging storm drains, creeks and rivers, the water can be contaminated with E. coli, trash, chemicals and other public health hazards.
—
Stacy Perman, Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2026
Packages of ground beef that were distributed in six states are being recalled for concerns of E. coli contamination.
—James Powel, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
According to an announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), published on Saturday, Dec. 27, the contaminated beef products tested positive for the presence of E. coli O26 in a routine FSIS testing and sampling.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 29 Dec. 2025
An Idaho food distributor is recalling nearly 3,000 pounds of raw ground beef because of concerns about E. coli contamination.
—Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 29 Dec. 2025
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Stacy Perman, Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2026
Packages of ground beef that were distributed in six states are being recalled for concerns of E. coli contamination.
—James Powel, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
According to an announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), published on Saturday, Dec. 27, the contaminated beef products tested positive for the presence of E. coli O26 in a routine FSIS testing and sampling.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 29 Dec. 2025
An Idaho food distributor is recalling nearly 3,000 pounds of raw ground beef because of concerns about E. coli contamination.
—Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 29 Dec. 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 21 Jan. 2026.
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
