microbe

noun

mi·​crobe ˈmī-ˌkrōb 

: microorganism, germ

microbial

mī-ˈkrō-bē-əl 

adjective

or less commonly microbic

mī-ˈkrō-bik 

microbially

mī-ˈkrō-bē-ə-lē 

adverb

Did you know?

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Foods That Are High in Fiber Fiber also feeds the community of microbes in your gut. —Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024

Probiotics contain some of the beneficial microbes normally found in the gut. —Maxine Lipner, Verywell Health, 30 Oct. 2024

Because when someone’s going through menopause, their hormones are in disarray and going through changes, but when our gut is healthy, one of the functions of the trillions of microbes is to actually help with hormone production. —Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 28 Oct. 2024

By studying carbon isotopes in both the older and younger layers of microbes, the geologists also noted a shift toward iron-dependent microorganisms in the oceans, per Scientific American. —Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary micr- + Greek bios life — more at quick entry 1

First Known Use

1878, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

microbe

noun

mi·​crobe ˈmī-ˌkrōb 

: microorganism, germ

microbial

mī-ˈkrō-bē-əl 

adjective

also microbic

-bik 

Medical Definition

microbe

noun

mi·​crobe ˈmī-ˌkrōb 

: microorganism, germ

—used especially of pathogenic bacteria