n 1  cap  :  a genus of the family Spirochaetaceae comprising anaerobic spirochetes that are pathogenic in humans and other warm-blooded animals and include one (T. pallidum) causing syphilis and another (T. pertenue) causing yaws  2  pl  -ma*ta  or  -mas  :  any spirochete of the genus Treponema .
 
 
 
Similar sounding terms:  trepo·neme 
 
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