Definition of meningococcus in English:
meningococcus
nounPlural meningococci mɪˌnɪndʒəʊˈkɒkəsmɪˌnɪŋɡəʊˈkɒkəsməˌnɪŋɡoʊˈkɑkəs
A bacterium involved in some forms of meningitis and cerebrospinal infection.
Neisseria meningitidis
Example sentencesExamples
- There's no vaccine available in the UK against the commonest cause of meningitis - Group B meningococcus.
- Overcrowding provides ideal conditions for transmission of meningococci.
- Neisseria meningitidis, the meningococcus, is a globally distributed cause of bacterial meningitis and septicemia.
- Because bacterial meningitis is most likely to occur in confined settings such as college dorms, some colleges ask that incoming students be vaccinated against meningococcus.
- The illness is caused by bacteria, called meningococci, which invade the linings of the brain, causing severe inflammation that can be fatal.
Derivatives
adjective
Most people who get the disease have some symptoms of both meningococcal meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia.
Example sentencesExamples
- At first it was believed she had meningococcal meningitis or leptospirosis, but tests ruled those out.
- The three cases are all believed to be bacterial, caused by the meningococcal bacteria, but the strains involved have not been confirmed.
- The most common forms of the bug were now strain C of the bacterial meningococcal meningitis and its blood poisoning relative, septicaemia.
- The new vaccine does not protect against meningococcal disease caused by serogroup B bacteria.
Origin
Late 19th century: from meninges + coccus.
Definition of meningococcus in US English:
meningococcus
nounməˌniNGɡōˈkäkəsməˌnɪŋɡoʊˈkɑkəs
A bacterium involved in some forms of meningitis and cerebrospinal infection.
Neisseria meningitidis, a nonmotile spherical Gram-negative bacterium
Example sentencesExamples
- There's no vaccine available in the UK against the commonest cause of meningitis - Group B meningococcus.
- The illness is caused by bacteria, called meningococci, which invade the linings of the brain, causing severe inflammation that can be fatal.
- Because bacterial meningitis is most likely to occur in confined settings such as college dorms, some colleges ask that incoming students be vaccinated against meningococcus.
- Overcrowding provides ideal conditions for transmission of meningococci.
- Neisseria meningitidis, the meningococcus, is a globally distributed cause of bacterial meningitis and septicemia.
Origin
Late 19th century: from meninges + coccus.