: any of a family (Enterobacteriaceae) of gram-negative straight rod bacteria (such as a salmonella, a shigella, or E. coli) that ferment glucose and include saprophytes as well as some serious plant and animal pathogens                                      
                
                    
            
   
                   
             
                    
                        
        
        
                                
                
      
      
                                                      enterobacterial
                        
                                      adjective
                                                                                                         
     
                     
        
                
                
                
                                
        
                
     
    
                                                    
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
            
                                    
                        
                                                    
                                
                       
                                        
                
                                                
                            
            
                                    
                                    
                        
                                            
                                                            
                                    
                                
                                
                                    
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
                                    
                                                                                                    
                                                    
                            
                                                               
                                                
  
  Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!
  Merriam-Webster unabridged
 
                          
                    
Share