nīˈsirēə noun
Usage: capitalized
Etymology: New Latin, from Albert L. S. Neisser died 1916 German physician + New Latin -ia
: a genus of parasitic bacteria (the type of the family Neisseriaceae) growing in pairs and occasionally tetrads and thriving best at 98.6° F in the animal body or serum media — see gonococcus , meningococcus