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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
Marianne Krasny, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
Holscher points to a 2018 study that found that people who ate more than 30 different types of plant foods each week also had more gut microbes that produce chemical messengers known to boost health.
—Maria Godoy, NPR, 10 Jan. 2025
These microbes are cultivated in tanks and fed carbon feedstocks, such as sugar, to synthesize the textile dye.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 6 Jan. 2025
Extreme Microbes and space colonization There are microbes on Earth that can survive in extremely harsh environments.
—Blaise Manga Enuh, Discover Magazine, 6 Jan. 2025
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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 17 Jan. 2025.
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microbe
noun
Medical Definition
microbe
noun
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