pneumococcus

noun

pneu·​mo·​coc·​cus ˌnü-mə-ˈkä-kəs 

ˌnyü-

plural pneumococci ˌnü-mə-ˈkäk-ˌsī 

-ˌsē;

-ˈkä-ˌkī,

-ˌkē,

ˌnyü-

: a bacterium (Streptococcus pneumoniae) that causes an acute pneumonia involving one or more lobes of the lung

pneumococcal

ˌnü-mə-ˈkä-kəl 

ˌnyü-

adjective

Examples of pneumococcus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Pneumococcal vaccine The pneumococcus (pneumonia) vaccine is recommended for children younger than 5 years and adults 50 years or older. —Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 1 Nov. 2024

The introduction of the first pneumococcus vaccine, which addressed seven strains, cut childhood infection rates in half from 2000 to 2001. —Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 28 June 2023

And his investments into have helped save countless lives, including by accelerating the distribution of vaccines for diseases like pneumococcus and rotavirus, funding the distribution of tools like bed nets to limit the spread of malaria, and investing in research, including for malaria vaccines. —Time, 7 June 2022

This microbe, commonly known as pneumococcus, is the world’s leading cause of life-threatening bacterial lung infection. —Claire Panosian Dunavan, Discover Magazine, 13 Aug. 2018

In 1996, when levofloxacin hit prescription pads, a strain of pneumococcus became resistant to it that very year. —Christian Millman, Discover Magazine, 6 June 2018

In the case of pneumococcus, for example, immunizing children indirectly protects older adults by limiting transmission. —Apoorva Mandavilli, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2022

These protect against pneumonia and other serious diseases, such as meningitis and bacteremia, from the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae, also called pneumococcus. —Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 10 May 2021

Last week, Merkel received a vaccine shot against pneumococcus, a pneumonia-causing bacteria, from a doctor who later tested positive for coronavirus, her office said Sunday. —NBC News, 24 Mar. 2020

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pneumococcus

• cryptococcus
• diplococcus
• gonococcus
• micrococcus
• streptococcus
• caucus
• coccus
• glaucous
• glaucus
• raucous
• echinococcus
• enterococcus

Kids Definition

pneumococcus

noun

pneu·​mo·​coc·​cus ˌn(y)ü-mə-ˈkäk-əs 

plural pneumococci -ˈkäk-(s)ī 

-ˈkäk-(ˌ)(s)ē

: a bacterium that causes pneumonia

pneumococcal

-ˈkäk-əl 

adjective

Medical Definition

pneumococcus

noun

pneu·​mo·​coc·​cus ˌn(y)ü-mə-ˈkäk-əs 

plural pneumococci -ˈkäk-ˌ(s)ī 

: a bacterium of the genus Streptococcus (S. pneumoniae) that causes an acute pneumonia involving one or more lobes of the lung