microbiome

noun

mi·cro·bi·ome | \ ˌmī-krō-ˈbī-ˌōm

Definition of microbiome

1 : a community of microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses) that inhabit a particular environment and especially the collection of microorganisms living in or on the human body Your body is home to about 100 trillion bacteria and other microbes, collectively known as your microbiome.— Carl Zimmer … what's arguably become the hottest area of medicine: microbiome research, an emerging field that's investigating how the bacteria that live in and on our bodies affect our health.— Sunny Sea Gold

2 : the collective genomes of microorganisms inhabiting a particular environment and especially the human body They form one community among the many that make up the human microbiome: the full genetic complement of bacteria and other organisms at home on your skin, gums, and teeth, in your genital tract, and especially in your gut.— Nathan Wolfe

Examples of microbiome in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Woke and After Dark duo are the first CBD skincare products to be certified as microbiome-friendly. — Katie Shapiro, Forbes, 3 May 2022 Instead of providing general dietary recommendations for everyone, this precision approach tailors nutrition recommendations to individual characteristics, including one's genetic background, microbiome, social and environmental factors, and more. — Lisa Drayer, CNN, 27 Mar. 2022 Many of these conditions have recently been linked to the microbiome. — David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2022 For archaeologists keen on learning more about the health and diet of past populations—as well as how certain parasites evolved in the evolutionary history of the microbiome—coprolites and paleofeces can be a veritable goldmine of information. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 5 Feb. 2022 Woven around the four pillars of mind, microbiome, skin and energy, our offerings draw on the mystery of myth, the reassurance of tradition and the certainty of science. — Jennifer Kester, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2022 The bulk of research on helpful probiotic therapies focuses on the microbiome or pathways in the gut, not the skin. — Jessica Chia, Allure, 23 Nov. 2021 Little is known about the long-term effects of a low-carb diet on immunity, the bones, the microbiome, heart health, and more. — Amby Burfoot, Outside Online, 8 June 2020 Although there are various different microbiome sites, including oral, vaginal, and skin microbiomes, the gut is by far the largest and most complex. — William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2022 See More

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

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Last Updated

17 May 2022

Cite this Entry

“Microbiome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/microbiome. Accessed 20 May. 2022.

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More Definitions for microbiome

microbiome

noun

mi·cro·bi·ome | \ ˌmī-krō-ˈbī-ˌōm

Medical Definition of microbiome

1 : a community of microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses) that inhabit a particular environment and especially the collection of microorganisms living in or on the human body The intestinal microbiome consists of the microorganisms that inhabit the gut.— Clara Abraham et al., The New England Journal of Medicine Collectively known as the microbiome, this community may play a role in regulating one's risk of obesity, asthma and allergies.— Carrie Arnold, Scientific American The human oral microbiome comprises all microbial species in the oral cavity.— Naomi P. O'Grady, The Journal of the American Medical Association

2 : the collective genomes of microorganisms inhabiting a particular environment and especially the human body As part of a new citizen-science initiative called the American Gut project, the lab sequenced my microbiome—that is, the genes not of "me," exactly, but of the several hundred microbial species with whom I share this body.— Michael Pollan, The New York Times Together, the genomes of these microbial symbionts (collectively defined as the microbiome) provide traits that humans did not need to evolve on their own.— Peter J. Turnbaugh et al., Nature