penicillium

noun pen·i·cil·li·um \ ˌpe-nə-ˈsi-lē-əm \

Definition of penicillium

plural penicillia play \ˌpe-nə-ˈsi-lē-ə\

: any of a genus (Penicillium) of fungi (such as a blue mold) that are found chiefly on moist nonliving organic matter (such as decaying fruit) and have been grouped with the imperfect fungi but are now often placed with the ascomycetes

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Origin and Etymology of penicillium

New Latin, from Latin penicillus

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First Known Use: 1867

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

Medical Dictionary

penicillium

noun pen·i·cil·li·um \ ˌpen-ə-ˈsil-ē-əm \

medical Definition of penicillium

1 capitalized : a genus of fungi (as the blue molds) that have been grouped with the imperfect fungi but are now often placed with the ascomycetes and that are found chiefly on moist nonliving organic matter (as decaying fruit), are characterized by the erect branching conidiophores ending in tufts of club-shaped cells from which conidia are formed in chains, and include molds useful in economic fermentation and the production of antibiotics