1. a bacterium that occurs in pairs of spherical cells
Usage: medical; microbiology

Examples

• The laboratory identified a diplococcus in the patient’s blood sample.
• Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common diplococcus that causes pneumonia.
• Under the microscope, the diplococcus appeared as two round cells joined together.
• The diplococcus was resistant to several antibiotics.
• Doctors suspected a diplococcus infection based on the symptoms.
• The diplococcus divided to form a chain of bacterial cells.