bacterial

adjective

bac·​te·​ri·​al bak-ˈtir-ē-əl How to pronounce bacterial (audio)
: of, relating to, or caused by bacteria
bacterial infection
bacterially
bak-ˈtir-ē-ə-lē How to pronounce bacterial (audio)
adverb

Examples of bacterial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Her sister Erin created a GoFundMe page announcing that she was hospitalized with severe pneumonia and a bacterial infection in her blood. — Isabelle Farina, Variety, 4 Sep. 2026 The trouble was a bacterial abscess on the child’s neck, swollen, red, warm to the touch, about the size of a ping-pong ball, large enough to force the head into a tilt. — Eric Boodman, STAT, 3 Sep. 2026 About 15 percent of a subset of the products tested contained measurable levels of endotoxin, a sign of bacterial contamination during manufacture. — Lori Youmshajekian, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2026 After about four years, Duncan started experiencing severe heart pain caused by a bacterial infection. — Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bacterial

Word History

First Known Use

1869, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bacterial was in 1869

Phrases Containing bacterial

Rhymes for bacterial

See All Rhymes for bacterial

Browse Nearby Words

bacteriacide
bacterial
bacterial blight
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bacterial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bacterial. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

bacterial

adjective
bac·​te·​ri·​al bak-ˈtir-ē-əl How to pronounce bacterial (audio)
: of, relating to, or caused by bacteria

Medical Definition

bacterial

adjective
bac·​te·​ri·​al bak-ˈtir-ē-əl How to pronounce bacterial (audio)
: of, relating to, or caused by bacteria
a bacterial chromosome
bacterial infection
bacterial endocarditis
bacterially
-ə-lē How to pronounce bacterial (audio)
adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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