Coccaceous

/kɑˈkeɪʃəs/ adjective

Definition

Relating to or belonging to the bacterial family Coccaceae; having characteristics of spherical bacteria.

Etymology

From coccus + -aceous (suffix meaning 'having the nature of' or 'belonging to'), following scientific naming conventions.

Kelly Says

The suffix '-aceous' is beloved by biologists because it lets them quickly indicate a whole group's defining traits—coccaceous bacteria are defined entirely by their round shape.

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