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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
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 13 Aug. 2025
Things could be reversed if prompt actions are taken to get vaccination rates back up again before the different nasty microbes can spread too far in the U.S. population.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025
So, where do all those death-eating microbes come from?
—Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 1 Aug. 2025
Rice water is sometimes included in skin care products, but it can also be used as a plant fertilizer to add nutrients and beneficial microbes to the soil.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Microbe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/microbe. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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microbe
noun
Medical Definition
microbe
noun
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