E. coli
noun
plural E. coli
: an enterobacterium (Escherichia coli) that is used in public health as an indicator of fecal pollution (as of water or food) and in medicine and genetics as a research organism and that occurs in various strains that may live as harmless inhabitants of the human lower intestine or may produce a toxin causing intestinal illness see enterobacterium illustration
Examples of E. coli in a Sentence
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Locally, two people have become infected with E. coli after eating at local The Kebab Shop locations, according to the County of San Diego.
—
Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2026
This is a calculation based on E. coli colony counts per 100 mL of water.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 28 May 2026
On Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey measured E. coli levels as high as 2,500.
—Monique John, CBS News, 28 May 2026
More than thirty thousand bacterial generations later, an E. coli lineage developed the ability to consume molecules known as citrates, which were previously inedible.
—Shayla Love, New Yorker, 25 May 2026
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Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2026
This is a calculation based on E. coli colony counts per 100 mL of water.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 28 May 2026
On Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey measured E. coli levels as high as 2,500.
—Monique John, CBS News, 28 May 2026
More than thirty thousand bacterial generations later, an E. coli lineage developed the ability to consume molecules known as citrates, which were previously inedible.
—Shayla Love, New Yorker, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for E. coli
Cite this Entry
“E. coli.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/E.%20coli. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
E. coli
noun
plural E. coli
: a bacterium in the shape of a short rod that may cause intestinal illness
Etymology
short for Escherichia coli, the taxonomic name in biology
Medical Definition
E. coli
nounˌē-ˈkō-ˌlī
plural E. coli also E. colis
: a straight rod-shaped gram-negative bacterium (Escherichia coli of the family Enterobacteriaceae) that is used in public health as an indicator of fecal pollution (as of water or food) and in medicine and genetics as a research organism and that occurs in various strains that may live as harmless inhabitants of the human lower intestine or may produce a toxin causing intestinal illness marked especially by diarrhea
one million acid-resistant E. coli per gram of feces—John Schwartz
John Schwartzthis E. coli can survive … longer than all the other E. colis—Ed Geldreich
Ed GeldreichLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
