noun
- a resistant spore formed within certain bacteria that can survive harsh conditions
Usage: biology
Examples
- The bacterium formed an endospore to survive the extreme heat.
- Endospores can remain dormant for decades until conditions improve.
- Sterilization procedures must be designed to kill bacterial endospores.
- When nutrients become scarce, the bacteria produce endospores.
- The endospore’s thick coat protects it from radiation and chemicals.
- Scientists studied how endospores germinate into active bacteria.