The scientific study of bacteria, including their classification, structure, physiology, metabolism, and relationship to other organisms.
From 'bacterio-' (from bacteria) + '-logy' (Greek 'logos,' meaning study of), coined in the late 19th century as this field of microbiology became formalized as a scientific discipline.
Bacteriology emerged right when microscopes got good enough to see bacteria clearly—suddenly scientists could prove that these invisible creatures were real and that they caused diseases, which completely revolutionized medicine and public health.
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