microbiome

noun

mi·​cro·​bi·​ome ˌmī-krō-ˈbī-ˌōm 

1

: a community of microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses) that inhabit a particular environment and especially the collection of microorganisms living in or on the human body

Your body is home to about 100 trillion bacteria and other microbes, collectively known as your microbiome.

—Carl Zimmer

… what's arguably become the hottest area of medicine: microbiome research, an emerging field that's investigating how the bacteria that live in and on our bodies affect our health.

—Sunny Sea Gold

2

: the collective genomes of microorganisms inhabiting a particular environment and especially the human body

They form one community among the many that make up the human microbiome: the full genetic complement of bacteria and other organisms at home on your skin, gums, and teeth, in your genital tract, and especially in your gut.

—Nathan Wolfe

Examples of microbiome in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Dehydration can lead to several digestive issues, from constipation to an imbalanced microbiome (the community of organisms in your digestive tract).12 Studies show that people who drink more water have lower rates of constipation compared to those who don't drink enough water. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 4 Dec. 2024

Farrell said alcohol could cause dehydration and inflammation, disrupt sleep, and alter the gut microbiome—all of which could inhibit immune function. —David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Nov. 2024

Digestive Health Apples may help balance your gut microbiome (the microorganisms living in the digestive system), which is essential to digestive and overall health. —Brittany Lubeck, Ms, Rdn, Verywell Health, 28 Oct. 2024

Over time, it was discovered there is a link between the gut microbiome—the bacteria that populate the intestinal system—and stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. —Elaine Pofeldt, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

micro- + biome

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

microbiome

noun

mi·​cro·​bi·​ome ˌmī-krō-ˈbī-ˌōm 

1

: a community of microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses) that inhabit a particular environment and especially the collection of microorganisms living in or on the human body

The intestinal microbiome consists of the microorganisms that inhabit the gut.

—Clara Abraham et al., The New England Journal of Medicine

Collectively known as the microbiome, this community may play a role in regulating one's risk of obesity, asthma and allergies.

—Carrie Arnold, Scientific American

The human oral microbiome comprises all microbial species in the oral cavity.

—Naomi P. O'Grady, The Journal of the American Medical Association

2

: the collective genomes of microorganisms inhabiting a particular environment and especially the human body

As part of a new citizen-science initiative called the American Gut project, the lab sequenced my microbiome—that is, the genes not of "me," exactly, but of the several hundred microbial species with whom I share this body.

—Michael Pollan, The New York Times

Together, the genomes of these microbial symbionts (collectively defined as the microbiome) provide traits that humans did not need to evolve on their own.

—Peter J. Turnbaugh et al., Nature