What does enterococci mean?
Enterococci are a group of Gram-positive, sphere-shaped bacteria belonging to the genus Enterococcus, named for their natural home in the intestines of humans and animals. As part of the normal gut flora they are usually harmless, but outside the gut they can act as opportunistic pathogens, causing urinary tract infections, wound infections, bacteremia, and endocarditis, particularly in hospitalized or immunocompromised patients. Several species, notably Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium, have developed resistance to multiple antibiotics, including vancomycin, making them a major focus of infection control. Beyond medicine, enterococci are widely used in environmental monitoring: because they survive in saltwater better than many other fecal bacteria, public health agencies measure their levels at beaches to indicate contamination. The term is technical, appearing chiefly in medical, microbiological, and water-quality literature, and its plural form is far more common than the singular enterococcus.
Plural of enterococcus: Gram-positive spherical bacteria of the genus Enterococcus, normally inhabiting the intestinal tract but capable of causing serious opportunistic infections.
"Laboratory cultures confirmed the presence of enterococci in the patient's urine sample."
Used almost exclusively in plural; the singular enterococcus appears mainly when discussing individual cells or species.
Enterococci measured as indicator organisms for fecal contamination in recreational waters and food safety testing.
"Health authorities posted advisories when enterococci exceeded safe thresholds at several coastal beaches."
This is the standard Latin-style plural, pronounced with the ending /-kaɪ/. The singular enterococcus ends in /-kəs/. The adjective form is enterococcal.
"Enterococci were isolated from the blood cultures of three intensive care patients."
Some enterococci have become so drug-resistant that doctors call them one of the most stubborn superbugs in hospitals — yet they live harmlessly in your gut right now.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of enterococci
The word enters scientific English in the early twentieth century, formed from the Greek combining form entero-, meaning 'intestine' (from enteron), combined with cocci, the plural of coccus, from Greek kokkos meaning 'berry' or 'grain', referring to the bacteria's spherical shape. The name thus literally means 'intestinal berries', describing both where these organisms live and what they look like under the microscope. The same roots appear in related terms such as streptococcus, staphylococcus, gastroenterology, and enteritis.
Related word forms
How enterococci is actually used
A technical term used mainly in microbiology, medicine, and environmental science. Always plural in this form; the singular is enterococcus. In water-quality contexts, enterococci serve as an indicator organism for fecal pollution.
Easily confused with enterococci
Staphylococci are a different group of Gram-positive bacteria (genus Staphylococcus) that cluster in grape-like formations and commonly colonize the skin, whereas enterococci inhabit the intestinal tract.
Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium also found in the gut, while enterococci are Gram-positive spheres.