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ba·cil·lus (bə-sĭĺəs)

[Late Latin, diminutive of Latin baculum, rod.]

noun: pl., -cil·li (-sĭĺī́) 

  1. Any of various rod-shaped, spore-forming, aerobic bacteria of the genus Bacillus that often occur in chains and include B. anthracis , the causative agent of anthrax.
  2. Any of various bacteria, especially a rod-shaped bacterium.