To save this word, you'll need to log in.
Definition of vancomycin-resistant enterococcus
: any of several enterococci (such as Enterococcus faecalis and E. faecium) that are resistant to vancomycin and other commonly used antibiotics (such as cephalosporin and tetracycline) and are typically benign colonizers of the gastrointestinal tract and female genital tract but may cause severe infections (as of the urinary tract or bloodstream) especially in hospitalized patients with weakened immune systems and in individuals who are on long-term regimens of antibiotics
Note: Vancomycin-resistant enterococci are usually spread by direct contact with contaminated hands, surfaces, or medical equipment.
—abbreviation VREKeep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on vancomycin-resistant enterococcus
What made you want to look up vancomycin-resistant enterococcus? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Semantic Drift Quiz
- Which of the following was once a synonym for fun?
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
Share vancomycin-resistant enterococcus
Time Traveler for vancomycin-resistant enterococcus
The first known use of vancomycin-resistant enterococcus was in 1988
See more words from the same year