subbacterial

English

Etymology

From sub- +‎ bacterial.

Adjective

subbacterial (not comparable)

  1. (biology) smaller than a bacterium
    • 1939, Hans Zinsser, A textbook of bacteriology‎[archive.org], page 916:
      They are used frequently for the separation of particles of sub-bacterial dimensions and for the study of the sizes of the particles of ultramicroscopic viruses, bacteriophage and colloids.
    • 1944 May 1, “Tropical Diseases”, in Life‎[archive.org], page 64:
      Diseases that have most stubbornly resisted medical control are those caused by the subbacterial Rickettsiae and viruses. Cause of many tropical diseases, these organisms are the smallest living things. They can exist only side living cells.
    • 1978, Harry Lehman, Biology in transition‎[archive.org], page 26:
      The broadening of bacteriology has opened up new horizons in the field of subbacterial forms and has resulted in the alteration of the name of the study of microorganisms from bacteriology to microbiology.
  2. (pathology) Subacute and bacterial.
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