bacterial

adjective

bac·​te·​ri·​al bak-ˈtir-ē-əl 

: of, relating to, or caused by bacteria

bacterial infection

bacterially

bak-ˈtir-ē-ə-lē 

adverb

Examples of bacterial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Listeria poisoning symptoms Listeria poisoning is a foodborne bacterial infection most commonly caused by the bacterium listeria monocytogenes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. —Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 19 June 2025

For example, the team discovered that the bacterial species Vibrio alginolyticus produces a chemical called H3C on the decaying shells of dead crabs. —New Atlas, 18 June 2025

The manufacturing process involves cooking the starches, then adding acids or enzymes, such as heat-stable bacterial alpha-amylase, to break it down further. —Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 June 2025

After another week, the scientists sequenced parts of the bacterial genomes, to see whether the invader had successfully established itself, and tallied up the total biomass in each ecosystem. —Gabriel Popkin, Quanta Magazine, 16 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1869, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing bacterial

• bacterial vaginosis

Rhymes for bacterial

• arterial
• ethereal
• funereal
• imperial
• material
• sidereal
• venereal
• antibacterial
• biomaterial
• mycobacterial
• cereal
• virial

Kids Definition

bacterial

adjective

bac·​te·​ri·​al bak-ˈtir-ē-əl 

: of, relating to, or caused by bacteria

Medical Definition

bacterial

adjective

bac·​te·​ri·​al bak-ˈtir-ē-əl 

: of, relating to, or caused by bacteria

a bacterial chromosome

bacterial infection

bacterial endocarditis

bacterially

-ə-lē 

adverb