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A hint of the Greek word bios, meaning "life", can be seen in microbe. Microbes, or microorganisms, include bacteria, protozoa, fungi, algae, amoebas, and slime molds. Many people think of microbes as simply the causes of disease, but every human is actually the host to billions of microbes, and most of them are essential to our life. Much research is now going into possible microbial sources of future energy; algae looks particularly promising, as do certain newly discovered or created microbes that can produce cellulose, to be turned into ethanol and other biofuels.
Examples of microbe in a Sentence
Paul Voosen, science.org, 1 Nov. 2024
Scientists say the slime in your dishwasher could unlock a solution to global warming
Scientists have scoured the ocean and outer space for microbes to help slow global warming.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 24 Oct. 2024
Once the gut barrier is breached, even friendly microbes can stir up inflammation, causing health issues ranging from overweight to obesity, infection to autoimmune disease, and mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s.
—Christopher Damman, Discover Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024
In the Amazon’s tropical wetlands, where warm and moist conditions favor methane-producing microbes, emissions are on the rise.
—Sergey Buchin, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near microbe
Cite this Entry
“Microbe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/microbe. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
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microbe
noun
Medical Definition
microbe
noun
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