What does coliphage mean?
A coliphage is a virus that infects Escherichia coli, making it a specialized kind of bacteriophage — the general term for any virus that preys on bacteria. The name combines "coli," referring to its host organism, with "phage," from the Greek for "to devour." Coliphages matter far beyond the laboratory: because E. coli lives in the intestines of humans and warm-blooded animals, these viruses are found wherever fecal contamination occurs, and their presence in water is easy to detect quickly. Environmental agencies therefore use them as indicators of water quality, often alongside or instead of direct bacterial counts. Certain strains, such as male-specific and somatic coliphages, are standard reference organisms in microbiology. Though strictly a scientific term, coliphage offers a vivid example of the constant, invisible warfare between viruses and bacteria that shapes ecosystems everywhere.
nounA virus that infects and replicates within Escherichia coli bacteria; a type of bacteriophage whose specific host is E. coli.
- A virus that infects the bacterium Escherichia coli.
"Because E. coli is so common in water systems, coliphages serve as useful indicators of fecal contamination."
"The laboratory cultured a coliphage to study how the virus attaches to its bacterial host."
"Water quality regulators monitor somatic coliphages as an indicator of fecal contamination in drinking water."
Standard regular plural; used when referring to multiple viruses or to the group collectively.
"Coliphages are widely used as indicators of fecal contamination in surface waters."
The viruses that prey on E. coli are so reliable at tracking sewage in water that environmental agencies use them as living pollution detectors.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of coliphage
The word coliphage was coined in twentieth-century scientific English from two roots: "coli," derived from the Latin colon (the large intestine, via the genus name Escherichia coli), and "phage," from the Greek phagein, meaning "to eat" or "to devour." It follows the pattern established by "bacteriophage," the broader term introduced after phages were discovered in the early twentieth century. The same Greek root gives English words such as phagocyte, esophagus, and sarcophagus.
How coliphage is actually used
A technical term used almost exclusively in microbiology, virology, and water-quality science; it rarely appears outside scientific literature. Plural is coliphages.
Easily confused with coliphage
A bacteriophage is any virus that infects bacteria generally, while a coliphage specifically infects Escherichia coli.