E. co ‧ li /ˌiː ˈkəʊlaɪ $ -ˈkoʊ-/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[ Date: 1900-2000 ; Language: Modern Latin ; Origin: Escherichia name of a type of bacteria (from T. Escher (1857-1911), German doctor) coli 'of the colon' ]
a type of ↑ bacteria that can make you very ill if it is in any food that you eat