meningococcus

noun

me·​nin·​go·​coc·​cus mə-ˌniŋ-gə-ˈkä-kəs  -ˌnin-jə- 

plural meningococci mə-ˌniŋ-gə-ˈkäk-ˌsī 

-ˌsē;

-ˈkä-ˌkī,

-ˌkē 

-ˌnin-jə-

: the bacterium (Neisseria meningitidis) that causes cerebrospinal meningitis

meningococcal

mə-ˌniŋ-gə-ˈkä-kəl 

-ˌnin-jə-

adjective

or less commonly meningococcic

mə-ˌniŋ-gə-ˈkäk-sik 

-ˈkä-kik,

-ˌnin-jə-

Examples of meningococcus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

IHEs have long required vaccinations of students—for human papillomavirus, meningococcus and influenza, for example. —Lawrence O. Gostin, Scientific American, 5 Aug. 2021

Between January 2010 and June 2020, the FDA approved 21 vaccines, most commonly for influenza (5 [23.8%]) and meningococcus (5 [23.8%]). —Daniel Tenreiro, National Review, 16 Nov. 2020

Air travel is a way to spread many virulent infectious diseases, including diphtheria, hepatitis A, influenza A and B, measles, mumps, meningococcus, rubella, tuberculosis, norovirus – the list goes on. —Keith Joiner, The Conversation, 26 Feb. 2020

The ill student’s case was for meningococcus group B, which is not the same one covered by a vaccine required for incoming students, officials said. —George Kelly, The Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2017

Many of the cases carry the same strain of meningococcus bacteria, known as serotype C, and have been linked through social connections, according to the health department. —Soumya Karlamangla, latimes.com, 9 June 2017

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

circa 1893, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

meningococcus

noun

me·​nin·​go·​coc·​cus mə-ˌniŋ-gə-ˈkäk-əs  -ˌnin-jə- 

plural meningococci -ˈkäk-ˌ(s)ī  -(ˌ)(s)ē 

: a bacterium of the genus Neisseria (N. meningitidis) that causes cerebrospinal meningitis

meningococcal

-ˈkäk-əl 

adjective

also meningococcic

-ˈkäk-(s)ik