Etymology Explorer › Latin

Where does “bacterium” come from?

bacterium (Latin) comes from Ancient Greek βακτήριον, from Ancient Greek βακτηρία, from Proto-Indo-European baḱ- — club, pointed stick, peg; pointed stick, peg.

bacterium (Latin): bacterium

Definitions

  1. bacterium

Ancestry of “bacterium”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ancient GreekβακτήριονSynonym of βακτηρία
2Ancient Greekβακτηρίαrod, staff, cane; baton
3Proto-Indo-Europeanbaḱ-club, pointed stick, peg; pointed stick, peg

Words derived from “bacterium”

  • bacteria
  • bacterial
  • bacterium
  • antibacterial
  • cyanobacteria
  • bactericidal
  • cyanobacterial
  • mycobacteria
  • mycobacterial
  • cyanobacterium
  • bacteriuria
  • mycobacterium
  • bacterially
  • nonbacterial
  • archaebacteria
  • antimycobacterial
  • bactericide
  • bacteriocidal
  • enterobacterial
  • archaebacterium
  • archaebacterial
  • mycobacteriosis
  • bacteroid
  • agrobacterium
Every word from Proto-Indo-European baḱ- →