microbiology

noun

mi·​cro·​bi·​ol·​o·​gy ˌmī-krō-bī-ˈä-lə-jē 

: a branch of biology dealing with microscopic forms of life

microbiological

ˌmī-krō-ˌbī-ə-ˈlä-ji-kəl 

adjective

or less commonly microbiologic

ˌmī-krō-ˌbī-ə-ˈlä-jik 

microbiologically

ˌmī-krō-ˌbī-ə-ˈlä-ji-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

microbiologist

ˌmī-krō-bī-ˈä-lə-jist 

noun

Examples of microbiology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Public health officials don’t rely solely on laboratory tests to identify the source of a foodborne outbreak, said Donald Schaffner, a food microbiology professor and chair of the food science department at Rutgers University. — Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 20 July 2026

Rather than carrying out environmental surveillance through the separate lenses of zoology, botany, microbiology and epidemiology, eDNA acts as a continuous genomic observatory. — Jenny Whilde, The Conversation, 7 July 2026

Roizman subsequently remained at Johns Hopkins for nine more years, as a microbiology instructor and assistant professor. — Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2026

While all mosquitoes may be annoying, the ones Coloradans need to worry about are from the Culex group of species, which transmit West Nile virus, said Greg Ebel, a professor of microbiology, immunology and pathology at Colorado State University’s Center for Vector-Borne Infectious Disease. — Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 11 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for microbiology

• aetiology
• anthropology
• archaeology
• archeology
• audiology
• cardiology
• climatology
• cohomology
• cosmetology
• criminology
• demonology
• dermatology

Kids Definition

microbiology

noun

mi·​cro·​bi·​ol·​o·​gy ˌmī-krō-bī-ˈäl-ə-jē 

: a branch of biology concerned especially with microscopic forms of life (as bacteria, protozoans, and viruses)

microbiological

ˈmī-krō-ˌbī-ə-ˈläj-i-kəl 

adjective

also microbiologic

-ˈläj-ik 

microbiologically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

microbiology

noun

mi·​cro·​bi·​ol·​o·​gy ˌmī-krō-bī-ˈäl-ə-jē 

plural microbiologies

: a branch of biology dealing especially with microorganisms (as bacteria and protozoans)

microbiological

ˈmī-krō-ˌbī-ə-ˈläj-i-kəl 

adjective

also microbiologic

-ˈläj-ik 

microbiological contamination

microbiological research

microbiologically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

microbiologically safe water