nounWord forms: plural-cocci (-ˈkɒkaɪ, US English -ˈkɒksaɪ)
any Gram-positive spherical bacterium of the genus Streptococcus, typically occurring in chains and including many pathogenic species, such as S. pyogenes, which causes scarlet fever, sore throat, etc: family Lactobacillaceae
Often shortened to: strep
Derived forms
streptococcal (ˌstrɛptəʊˈkɒkəl) or rare streptococcic (ˌstrɛptəʊˈkɒkɪk, US English -ˈkɒksɪk)
adjective
Examples of 'streptococci' in a sentence
streptococci
As the streptococci are now resistant to penicillin the treatment fails.