elementary body
noun
el·e·men·ta·ry body
ˌel-ə-ˌment-ə-rē-, -ˌmen-trē- 
: an infectious particle of any of several microorganisms
especially
: a chlamydial cell of an extracellular infectious form that attaches to receptors on the membrane of the host cell and is taken up by endocytosis compare reticulate body
Cite this Entry
“Elementary body.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/elementary%20body. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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