Coccal

/ˈkɑkəl/ adjective

Definition

Relating to or caused by cocci (spherical bacteria); having the form or nature of a coccus.

Etymology

From coccus + -al (suffix meaning 'relating to' or 'of'); part of the standard system for converting bacterial genus names into adjectives.

Kelly Says

Medical labs use 'coccal' as a shorthand when looking at infected samples under a microscope—the shape of the bacteria helps doctors guess what antibiotic might work before doing a full culture.

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