Parasitic or free-living bacteria

• Many pathogenic to humans and other animals

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
n. (alternative spelling of spirochete English)

The Collaborative International Dictionary Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Spirochaeta \Spi`ro*ch[ae]"ta\, Spirochaete \Spi`ro*ch[ae]"te\, n. [L. spira a coil + Gr. ??? hair.] (Biol.) A genus of Spirobacteria similar to Spirillum, but distinguished by its motility. One species, the Spiroch[ae]te Obermeyeri , is supposed to be ...

Wikipedia Word definitions in Wikipedia
Spirochaetes (also spelled spirochetes ) belong to a phylum of distinctive diderm (double-membrane) bacteria , most of which have long, helically coiled (corkscrew-shaped or spiraled, hence the name) cells . Spirochaetes are chemoheterotrophic in nature, ...

WordNet Word definitions in WordNet
n. parasitic or free-living bacteria; many pathogenic to humans and other animals [syn: spirochete ]