microbe

noun mi·crobe \ ˈmī-ˌkrōb \

Updated on: 21 May 2018

Definition of microbe

: microorganism, germ

—

microbial

play \mī-ˈkrō-bē-əl\ or less commonly microbic play \-bik\ adjective

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Recent Examples of microbe from the Web

Hardy microbes may live deep underground in such places, but there were no monsters, no maidens in need of saving, no masterminds devising evil plans.

— steve donoghue, The Christian Science Monitor, "3 books about planets," 18 May 2018
Scientists think this has to do with microbes: a baby acquires them from its mother on its way through the birth canal.

— kate morgan, The Cut, "Everything to Know About Having a C-Section Versus Vaginal Birth," 15 May 2018
The pieces of chalk, which look a little like super-sized microbes, were made with a 3D printer, giving them literally laser-cut precision.

— liz stinson, Curbed, "These sculptural chalk pieces let you draw perfect patterns," 8 May 2018
Creatures big and small, from wolves to microbes, continue to live inside the thousand-square-mile Exclusion Zone.

— National Geographic, "Chernobyl's Mutated Species May Help Protect Astronauts," 30 Apr. 2018
This week genetics students altered the DNA of bacteria to allow microbes to withstand colder temperatures.

— suzanne baker, Naperville Sun, "Waubonsie students experiment with DNA with bioethics in mind," 20 Apr. 2018
These bacteria and yeast are believed to help populate our guts with beneficial microbes, according to Mayo Clinic, and can be found in fermented or unpasteurized foods including yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi, as well as, yes, supplements.

— kristi kellogg, Allure, "What You Should Know Before Taking Probiotic Supplements," 9 Apr. 2018
But new research finds that antibiotics aren’t alone in their bacterial slaughter: Nearly 1 in 4 other prescription medications, from antipsychotics to antivirals, kill off gut microbes.

— kate sheridan, STAT, "Many common drugs, not just antibiotics, may kill off gut microbes," 19 Mar. 2018
Joye and other scientists presented research detailing dispersants' effects on marine microbes at the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science Conference in New Orleans last week.

— tristan baurick, NOLA.com, "Dispersants used in BP disaster hampered growth of oil-eating bacteria," 15 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'microbe.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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.