phage

1 of 2

noun

ˈfāj 

also

ˈfäzh 

plural phages also phage

: a virus that infects bacteria : bacteriophage

They cloned the antibody genes and inserted them into phage, a virus that infects bacteria cells.

—Teresa L. White

Bacteriophages, also known simply as phages, came to light around 90 years ago, when two European scientists independently discovered that there are viruses that kill bacteria.

—John Travis

-phage

2 of 2

noun combining form

: virus or cell that destroys cells

bacteriophage

microphage

Examples of phage in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Finding the right phage for treatment can take time, and then batches of phages need to be grown and purified. —Emily Mullin, WIRED, 10 Sep. 2024

Each tiny, tripod-looking phage has evolved to hunt, attack and gobble up a specific bacterial species. —Issy Ronald, CNN, 9 Oct. 2024

By infecting and replicating inside a host bacterium, phages could kill pathogens and form the basis of new drugs to treat antibiotic-resistant or superbugs. —Issy Ronald, CNN, 9 Oct. 2024

What the findings do reveal, however, is that there is a world of phages ripe for exploration. —Alice Park, TIME, 9 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

by shortening

Noun combining form

Greek -phagos one that eats, from -phagos -phagous

First Known Use

Noun

1920, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

phage

noun

ˈfāj 

 also  ˈfäzh

: bacteriophage

Medical Definition

phage

noun

ˈfāj 

also

ˈfäzh 

plural phages also phage

: a virus that infects bacteria : bacteriophage

To infect a host bacterium, a phage will first interact with receptors on the host cell, adsorb and then inject its genome.

—George P. C. Salmond and Peter C. Fineran, Nature Reviews Microbiology

Phages have various possible life cycles which, along with interaction with their physical environment, dictate their role in bacterial/archaeal biology.

—Martha R. J. Clokie et al., Bacteriophage