Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "bacterial" tana da alaƙa da ko kuma ta haifar da su. Bacteria wasu ƙananan ƙwayoyin cuta ne masu sel guda ɗaya waɗanda za'a iya samuwa a cikin yanayi iri-iri kuma suna iya yin tasiri duka masu fa'ida da cutarwa akan rayayyun halittu. Kwayoyin cututtuka suna haifar da cututtuka masu cutarwa da ke shiga jiki kuma suna karuwa a cikin jiki, suna haifar da nau'i na alamomi da cututtuka. Sabanin haka, ƙwayoyin cuta masu amfani na iya taka muhimmiyar rawa a cikin matakai kamar narkewa da rigakafi. Kalmar “bacterial” kuma tana iya nufin duk wani abu da ke da alaƙa da ko kuma aka samo shi daga ƙwayoyin cuta, kamar al’adun ƙwayoyin cuta, ƙwayoyin cuta, ko ƙwayoyin ƙwayoyin cuta.