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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
Erica Sloan, SELF, 23 Dec. 2024
In June, the World Health Organization warned that far too few new antibiotics are in the global development pipeline, and the ones that are there fall far short of the innovation required to vanquish the most dangerous microbes.
—Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
Inside the rumen, microbes break down the sugars in the grass via fermentation, a process that creates methane as a byproduct.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Dec. 2024
Food scientists warn that other dangerous microbes, not just avian flu, are proven to lurk in milk that has not been pasteurized, a process that kills germs with high heat.
—Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 25 Nov. 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 5 Jan. 2025.
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microbe
noun
Medical Definition
microbe
noun
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