nonbacterial
adjective
non·bac·te·ri·al
ˌnän-bak-ˈtir-ē-əl 
: not bacterial : not consisting of, resulting from, or caused by bacteria
nonbacterial gastroenteritis
Examples of nonbacterial in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For example, doctors prescribing antibiotics for nonbacterial infections and patients not completing their prescribed course of treatment give bacteria the chance to evolve resistance.
—
Andre Hudson, The Conversation, 29 Oct. 2021
This is ciguatera, a nonbacterial foodborne illness from seafood affecting between 50,000 and 500,000 people each year.
—Brianna Randall, Discover Magazine, 12 Mar. 2020
This effect has been observed for other viral diseases, such as influenza and nonbacterial pneumonia, and is clearly an important consideration, especially when so many people are encountering a novel virus for the first time as adults.
—Zeynep Tufekci, The Atlantic, 30 Mar. 2021
Doctors learned that the patient featured in the NEJM report had a type of endocarditis called nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis.
—Maggie O'Neill, Health.com, 13 June 2019
Andre Hudson, The Conversation, 29 Oct. 2021
This is ciguatera, a nonbacterial foodborne illness from seafood affecting between 50,000 and 500,000 people each year.
—Brianna Randall, Discover Magazine, 12 Mar. 2020
This effect has been observed for other viral diseases, such as influenza and nonbacterial pneumonia, and is clearly an important consideration, especially when so many people are encountering a novel virus for the first time as adults.
—Zeynep Tufekci, The Atlantic, 30 Mar. 2021
Doctors learned that the patient featured in the NEJM report had a type of endocarditis called nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis.
—Maggie O'Neill, Health.com, 13 June 2019
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nonbacterial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1884, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near nonbacterial
Cite this Entry
“Nonbacterial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonbacterial. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Medical Definition
nonbacterial
adjective
non·bac·te·ri·al
-bak-ˈtir-ē-əl
: not of, relating to, caused by, or being bacteria
nonbacterial pneumonia
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