bacteroid

noun

bac·​te·​roid ˈbak-tə-ˌrȯid How to pronounce bacteroid (audio)
: an irregularly shaped form of a nitrogen-fixing bacterium (such as a rhizobium) found especially in root nodules of legumes

Word History

First Known Use

1878, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bacteroid was in 1878

Rhymes for bacteroid

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Browse Nearby Words

bacterize
bacteroid
bacteroidal cell
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Cite this Entry

“Bacteroid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bacteroid. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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