Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

biofilm

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 2.47 in modern English

Syllables: biofilm
IPA

14

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

1

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A structured community of microorganisms, such as bacteria, that adhere to a surface and are embedded in a self-produced protective matrix of mucuslike extracellular material.

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

"The differences in biofilm penetration patterns of both tested photosensitisers and the light source could have played an important role for the survival of microorganisms after the application of aPDT. In a recent own study, we showed that the deepest layers of the oral biofilm were not affected by the aPDT [4 ]."
"These interactions are essential for the assembly of an exopolysaccharides-rich matrix and the development of cospecies biofilms."

Etymology

From bio- + film. First used in the early 1970s in the context of wastewater treatment.

Usage

Inflected Forms

biofilms (plural)

Derived Forms

antibiofilm

Questions

What does biofilm mean?: A structured community of microorganisms, such as bacteria, that adhere to a surface and are embedded in a self-produced protective matrix of mucuslike extracellular material.
Where does biofilm come from?: From bio- + film. First used in the early 1970s in the context of wastewater treatment.

How to pronounce biofilm

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