English Reference

Word

salmonella

Phoneticssal·mo·nel·la

US/ˌsæɫməˈnɛɫə/

UK/sˌælməʊnˈɛlɐ/

Definition

n. a type of bacteria that can make you very sick if you eat food that is not clean or cooked well. It usually causes stomach pain, fever, and other digestive problems.

n. a genus of rod-shaped, Gram-negative bacteria that causes various infections, most commonly food poisoning. It typically enters the human body through contaminated water or undercooked poultry and eggs.

Examples

“Cooking chicken thoroughly kills any salmonella bacteria.”

“The restaurant was closed temporarily after several customers fell ill with salmonella poisoning from the salad bar.”

“Public health officials tracked the salmonella outbreak to a single processing plant where cross-contamination had occurred between raw and ready-to-eat products.”

Examples

simple

“Cooking chicken thoroughly kills any salmonella bacteria.”

contextual

“The restaurant was closed temporarily after several customers fell ill with salmonella poisoning from the salad bar.”

complex

“Public health officials tracked the salmonella outbreak to a single processing plant where cross-contamination had occurred between raw and ready-to-eat products.”

Usage

Usually treated as uncountable when referring to the bacteria or the illness; can be countable in scientific contexts referring to specific strains.

Real-World Examples

“Nearly 20 million eggs were recalled in July over salmonella concerns.”
The New York Times · 14 Aug 2026
“Anyone who is concerned about symptoms should contact their GP or out-of-hours service in the first instance.” She advised the public to take action to prevent the spread of salmonella.”
The Guardian · 18 Aug 2026

Collocations

salmonella outbreak

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

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English Reference