ˌlaktōˌbasəˈlāsēˌē noun plural
Usage: capitalized
Etymology: New Latin, from Lactobacillus, type genus + -aceae
: a large family of rod-shaped or spherical gram-negative usually microaerophilic and nonmotile bacteria that require carbohydrates for growth, fermenting them chiefly to lactic acid, and include the lactic acid bacteria as well as important pathogens — see diplococcus , lactobacillus , streptococcus