saccharomyces

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

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

from The 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]