Strep
/strɛp/noun
An informal term for a streptococcal infection, especially strep throat, or for the bacterium that causes it.
Did you know?The bacterial name Streptococcus combines Greek streptos, “twisted,” with kokkos, “berry,” describing cells arranged like chains of beads.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*strebh-
“To twist, wind, or turn”
Ancient Greek
Greek
strephō
“I turn or twist”
Ancient Greek
Greek
streptos
“Twisted or twisted around”
19th Century
New Latin
Streptococcus
“A genus of spherical bacteria arranged in twisted or bead-like chains”
19th–20th Century
English
streptococcus
“A bacterium of the genus Streptococcus”
20th Century
English
strep
“Informal shortening for streptococcus or a streptococcal infection”
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