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

Healthy people infected with salmonella can experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and fever. —Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 6 Jan. 2026

Which brand of dog biscuits is being recalled for salmonella? —Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 2 Jan. 2026

The only way to be sure to kill salmonella and other pathogens is through cooking until the internal temperature reaches at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit (about 63 degrees Celsius) for at least 15 seconds. —Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 31 Dec. 2025

While the agency examines some products at ports of entry, those reviews are often cursory; workers cannot manually inspect every import or uncover whether a foreign plant properly cleans its equipment, conducts adequate salmonella testing or has a rat infestation. —Annie Waldman, ProPublica, 30 Dec. 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