Rickettsiales

noun plural

Rick·​ett·​si·​a·​les ri-ˌket-sē-ˈā-(ˌ)lēz How to pronounce Rickettsiales (audio)
: an order of small pleomorphic gram-negative bacteria that are obligate parasites living in vertebrates or in arthropods which often serve as vectors of those parasitic in vertebrates and are placed in the families Anaplasmataceae, Bartonellaceae, and Rickettsiaceae

Dictionary Entries Near Rickettsiales

Cite this Entry

“Rickettsiales.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/Rickettsiales. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!