salmonella

noun

sal·​mo·​nel·​la ˌsal-mə-ˈne-lə 

plural salmonellae ˌsal-mə-ˈne-(ˌ)lē 

-ˌlī

or salmonellas or salmonella

: any of a genus (Salmonella) of usually motile enterobacteria that are pathogenic for humans and other warm-blooded animals and cause food poisoning, gastrointestinal inflammation, typhoid fever, or septicemia

Examples of salmonella in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In 2016, Nature Made announced a recall of some of its vitamins due to fears of possible salmonella or staphylococcus contamination. —Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2025

Blue Ridge Beef is recalling more than 2,400 pounds of their puppy and kitten mixes on Friday due to fears of salmonella and listeria contamination. —David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025

Public health officials are growing more concerned about antibiotic-resistant salmonella strains, Dr. Leong said. —Caroline Hopkins Legaspi, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025

Green Onions On October 18, 2024, Trader Joe's, along with three other brands, recalled green onions that came from Church Brothers Farms because they were potentially contaminated with salmonella, according to the FDA. —Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Daniel E. Salmon †1914 American veterinarian

First Known Use

1913, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for salmonella

• arabella
• bartonella
• bordetella
• cinderella
• citronella
• columella
• isabella
• klebsiella
• legionella
• mozzarella
• pasteurella
• trichinella

Kids Definition

salmonella

noun

sal·​mo·​nel·​la ˌsal-mə-ˈnel-ə 

plural salmonellae -ˈnel-ē 

-ˌī

or salmonellas or salmonella

: any of a genus of rod-shaped bacteria that cause various illnesses (as food poisoning) in human beings and other warm-blooded animals

Medical Definition

salmonella

noun

sal·​mo·​nel·​la ˌsal-mə-ˈnel-ə 

1

capitalized : a genus of aerobic gram-negative rod-shaped nonspore-forming usually motile bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae that grow well on artificial media and form acid and gas on many carbohydrates but not on lactose, sucrose, or salicin, that are pathogenic for humans and other warm-blooded animals, and that cause food poisoning, acute gastrointestinal inflammation, typhoid fever, and septicemia

2

plural salmonellae -ˈnel-ē  or salmonellas or salmonella : any bacterium of the genus Salmonella