mycoplasma

noun

my·​co·​plas·​ma ˌmī-kō-ˈplaz-mə 

plural mycoplasmas also mycoplasmata ˌmī-kō-ˈplaz-mə-tə 

: any of a genus (Mycoplasma of the family Mycoplasmataceae) of pleomorphic gram-negative chiefly nonmotile bacteria that lack a cell wall and are mostly parasitic usually in mammals

called also pleuropneumonia-like organism

mycoplasmal

ˌmī-kō-ˈplaz-məl 

adjective

Examples of mycoplasma in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Other bacteria that can cause the respiratory condition include mycoplasma pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenza, Chlamydia pneumoniae and Legionella (Legionnaires’ disease), per the above source. —Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2025

The Indianapolis shelter identified cats with symptoms of mycoplasma, upper respiratory infections, calicivirus or panleukopenia. —Noe Padilla, IndyStar, 25 Sep. 2025

But these five cases, all in Moscow and the Moscow region, ended up being pneumonia caused by a mycoplasma infection, laboratory tests concluded. —Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025

Mysterious Disease Is Killing Dozens in Congo, Including Children — and Some Die Within 48 Hours Her diagnosis, Alexandra said, was mycoplasma pneumonia. —Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 1 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

1955, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing mycoplasma

• mycoplasma-like organism

Rhymes for mycoplasma

• histoplasma
• toxoplasma
• asthma
• plasma
• chiasma
• miasma

Medical Definition

mycoplasma

noun

my·​co·​plas·​ma ˌmī-kō-ˈplaz-mə 

1

capitalized : the type genus of the family Mycoplasmataceae containing minute pleomorphic gram-negative chiefly nonmotile bacteria that are mostly parasitic usually in mammals see pleuropneumonia sense 2

2

plural mycoplasmas also mycoplasmata -mət-ə  : any bacterium of the genus Mycoplasma or of the family Mycoplasmataceae

called also pleuropneumonia-like organism, PPLO

mycoplasmal

-məl 

adjective