liˈstirēə noun
Etymology: New Latin, from Joseph Lister + New Latin -ia
1. capitalized : a genus of small gram-positive flagellated bacterial rods (family Corynebacteriaceae) of which the chief and type species ( L. monocytogenes ) causes infectious mononucleosis in man and a wide variety of infections in mammals
2. -s : any bacterium of the genus Listeria — called also listerella