A genus of bacteria that converts alcohol into acetic acid, naturally producing vinegar through fermentation.
From aceto- (acetic acid) + bacter (from Greek 'bacterion' meaning small rod). Named descriptively for bacteria's function in creating acetic acid, discovered and classified in the 19th century.
These humble bacteria have been secretly making vinegar for thousands of years, and they're so good at their job that all commercial vinegar production relies on Acetobacter species—you could say they're responsible for one of humanity's oldest flavor enhancers.
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