any anaerobic typically rod-shaped bacterium of the genus Clostridium, occurring mainly in soil, but also in the intestines of humans and animals: family Bacillaceae. The genus includes the species causing botulism and tetanus
Derived forms
clostridial (closˈtridial) or clostridian (closˈtridian)
adjective
Word origin
C20: from New Latin, literally: small spindle, from Greek klōstēr spindle, from klōthein to spin; see -ium
Examples of 'clostridia' in a sentence
clostridia
Clostridia seemed to like the necrotic and anaerobic environment in large tumors.