treponema
trepo.ne.ma or trepo.ne.ma.tous \.trep-*-'ne--m*\ \-m*t-*\ \-m*l\ \-'nem-*t-*s, -'ne-m-\ n or trepo.ne.ma.ta or treponemas [NL, genus name, deriv. of Gk trepein to turn + ne-ma thread, fr] pl . ne-n to spin - more at TROPE, NEEDLE : any of a genus (Treponema) of spirochetes that parasitize man and other warm-blooded animals and include organisms causing syphilis and yaws - trepo.ne.ma.l aj