# cryptococcus

Pronunciation: say "krip-toh-KOK-us" US /ˌkɹɪptoʊˈkɑkəs/, UK /ˌkɹɪptəʊˈkɒkəs/

## Noun

1. A soil-dwelling fungus of the genus Cryptococcus, certain species of which can cause disease in humans.
   - Simple: A type of fungus found in soil. Some kinds can cause illness in people.
   - _The lab identified cryptococcus in a sample of the patient's spinal fluid._
   - _Various cryptococci thrive in soil enriched by pigeon droppings._

## Origin

From the genus name.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/cryptococcus (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).