nitrobacterium

Definitions of nitrobacterium

1. noun

   any of the bacteria in the soil that take part in the nitrogen cycle; they oxidize ammonium compounds into nitrites or oxidize nitrites into nitrates
   types:

   nitrate bacterium, nitric bacterium

   any of the nitrobacteria that oxidize nitrites into nitrates

   nitrite bacterium, nitrous bacterium

   any of the nitrobacteria that oxidize ammonia into nitrites

   type of:

   bacteria, bacterium

   (microbiology) single-celled or noncellular spherical or spiral or rod-shaped organisms lacking chlorophyll that reproduce by fission; important as pathogens and for biochemical properties; taxonomy is difficult; often considered to be plants