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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
Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 14 Mar. 2026
Probiotics have become a buzzword in grocery aisles and on social media, in part because of a growing body of research highlighting the importance of a healthy gut microbiome – the body’s vast ecosystem of bacteria and other microbes that helps regulate digestion, metabolism and immune function.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 14 Mar. 2026
The sun is being devoured by energy-hungry microbes, called Astrophage, and the resulting cooling threatens to wipe out much of Earth’s population.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
Many potting mixes also contain fertilizers or beneficial microbes that degrade over time.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for microbe
Cite this Entry
“Microbe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/microbe. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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microbe
noun
Medical Definition
microbe
noun
