See also: bactériophage

English edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from French bactériophage, coined by microbiologist Félix d'Hérelle, from bacterio- (bacteria) +‎ -phage (eater).

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /bækˈtɪəɹ.ɪəʊˌfeɪd͡ʒ/
  • enPR: bâk'tîr'ē'ə'fāj
  • (file)
  • Hyphenation: bac‧ter‧i‧o‧phage
  • Rhymes: -eɪdʒ

Noun edit

bacteriophage (plural bacteriophages)

  1. (microbiology, virology) A virus that specifically infects bacteria.
    • 2019, Bill Bryson, The Body: A Guide for Occupants, Black Swan (2020), page 54:
      Another possibility is to enlist a bacteriophage, a kind of virus, to hunt down and kill harmful bacteria for us.

Synonyms edit

Derived terms edit

Translations edit

See also edit