Pronunciation of 'Clostridium difficile'
The term 'Clostridium difficile' refers to a species of bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal infections, commonly known as C. diff. It is pronounced as 'klos-TRID-ee-um DIF-uh-seel' or 'klos-TRID-ee-um DIF-uh-sil' in English (en-US).
The name 'Clostridium difficile' originates from Latin. 'Clostridium' refers to the genus of bacteria, derived from the Greek word 'kloster,' meaning spindle, due to its shape. 'Difficile' means 'difficult' in Latin, referring to the difficulty in isolating the bacteria in early studies.
Pronunciation Details
English (United States)
A species of bacteria that can cause severe diarrhea and other intestinal issues, often associated with antibiotic use.
Pronounced as 'klos-TRID-ee-um DIF-uh-seel.' 'Klos' as in 'clause,' 'trid' as in 'trident,' 'ee-um' as in 'medium,' 'dif' as in 'difficult,' 'uh' as in 'sofa,' and 'seel' as in 'seal.'
A species of bacteria that can cause severe diarrhea and other intestinal issues, often associated with antibiotic use.
Pronounced as 'klos-TRID-ee-um DIF-uh-sil.' 'Klos' as in 'clause,' 'trid' as in 'trident,' 'ee-um' as in 'medium,' 'dif' as in 'difficult,' 'uh' as in 'sofa,' and 'sil' as in 'sill.'
Latin
A bacterium named for its spindle shape ('Clostridium') and the difficulty ('difficile') in isolating it.
Pronounced as 'klos-TREE-dee-oom DEE-fee-kee-leh.' 'Klos' as in 'clause,' 'tree' as in 'tree,' 'dee-oom' as in 'medium,' 'dee' as in 'deep,' 'fee' as in 'fee,' 'kee' as in 'key,' and 'leh' as in 'let.'