Definition

1. Noun:
   • A genus of bacteria: Micrococcus is the type genus of the family Micrococcaceae. It consists of spherical, Gram-positive bacteria that are often found in pairs, tetrads, or irregular clusters.

Usage

• The word is a proper noun used as the scientific name for a specific genus of microorganisms. It is typically used in biological, medical, and microbiological contexts.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Micrococcus species are commonly found in soil and water.
  • The laboratory identified the sample as belonging to the genus Micrococcus.

Advanced Usage

• Taxonomic context: In scientific writing, the genus name is always italicized. When used as a common noun to refer to members of this genus, it is often not italicized (e.g., "micrococci were observed").
  • The antibiotic resistance of these micrococci is under study.

Variants and Related Words

• Micrococci (n, plural): The plural form referring to multiple bacteria of this genus.
  • The slide showed numerous micrococci.
• Micrococcaceae (n): The name of the bacterial family to which the genus belongs.

Synonyms

• There are no direct common-language synonyms for this proper scientific name. In informal contexts, it might be loosely referred to as a type of "coccus" (spherical bacterium) or "Gram-positive coccus."

Notes on Different Meanings

• The term has a single, specific meaning in scientific taxonomy as defined above. It does not have general English meanings outside this technical context.

Noun

1. type genus of the family Micrococcaceae