— staphylococcal /staf'euh leuh kok"euhl/ , staphylococcic /staf'euh leuh kok"sik/ , adj.
/staf'euh leuh kok"euhs/ , n. , pl. staphylococci /-kok"suy/ . Bacteriol.
any of several spherical bacteria of the genus Staphylococcus, occurring in pairs, tetrads, and irregular clusters, certain species of which, as S. aureus, can be pathogenic for humans.
[ 1885-90; ]