saccharomyces

2 definitions found

saccharomyces - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Saccharomyces \Sac`cha*ro*my"ces\, n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? sugar + ?,
     ?, a fungus.] (Biol.)
     A genus of budding fungi, the various species of which have
     the power, to a greater or less extent, or splitting up sugar
     into alcohol and carbonic acid. They are the active agents in
     producing fermentation of wine, beer, etc. Saccharomyces cerevisiae
      is the yeast of sedimentary beer. Also called
     Torula.
     [1913 Webster]

saccharomyces - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  Saccharomyces
      n 1: single-celled yeasts that reproduce asexually by budding;
           used to ferment carbohydrates [syn: Saccharomyces, genus Saccharomyces
           ]