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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
Leonard David, Scientific American, 6 May 2026
Crews and passengers use vacuums, disinfectants and brushes to scrub shoes and equipment clear of bugs, feathers, seeds and microbe-carrying dirt.
—ABC News, 5 May 2026
Because plastics are polymers, these enzymes or the microbes that make them could be incorporated into living plastics.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 3 May 2026
Researchers found that people with Parkinson’s, as well as those at genetic risk, had distinct differences in their gut bacteria compared to healthy individuals, with over 25% of microbes showing variation.
—Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Microbe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/microbe. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
microbe
noun
Medical Definition
microbe
noun
