# bacteriophage

> English word · Noun · IPA /bækˈtɪəɹ.ɪəʊˌfeɪd͡ʒ/ · frequency rank #76,556

## Definitions
1. A virus that specifically infects bacteria.

## Etymology
Borrowed from French bactériophage, coined by microbiologist Félix d'Hérelle, from bacterio- (“bacteria”) + -phage (“eater”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/bacteriophage