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| n. Greek Mythology A sea god who could change his shape at will. [Latin Prōteus, from Greek, from prōtos, first (compare his epithet halios gerōn, Old Man of the Sea; see PER-1).] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
n. pl. pro·te·i (-tē-ī′) Any of various gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria of the genus Proteus, certain species of which are associated with human enteritis and urinary tract infections. [New Latin Prōteus, genus name, from Latin, Proteus (the variability in the size of individual cells displayed by members of the genus being likened to the god's shape-shifting powers); see PROTEUS.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
