A spherical bacterium that characteristically divides in a way that keeps two cells joined together, appearing as paired spheres.
From Greek 'diplos' (double) + 'kokkos' (berry/sphere). The term emerged in the 19th century as microbiologists categorized bacteria by their distinctive paired spherical appearance under microscopes.
Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis are famous diplococci responsible for some of humanity's most serious infections, but their distinctive two-sphere appearance under microscopes makes them instantly recognizable to trained eyes.
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