microbiota

noun mi·cro·bi·o·ta \ ˌmī-krō-bī-ˈō-tə \

Updated on: 15 Apr 2018

Definition of microbiota

: the microscopic organisms of a particular environment : microbiome 1

It's very possible that the master key to unlocking chronic disease will turn out to be the health and composition of the microbiota in your gut.
—Michael Pollan and Ruth Reichl

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microbiotic

adjective

- the microbiotic environment of the gut

Recent Examples of microbiota from the Web

Healthier gut microbiota: The abundance of dietary fiber and polyphenols in almonds may create a prebiotic effect.

— jaclyn london, ms, rd, Good Housekeeping, "Why You Should Go Nuts About Almonds," 3 Apr. 2018
Different gut microbiota pull different amounts of calories from the same food in different people.

— david prologo, Washington Post, "There are real, and difficult, biological reasons why it’s hard to lose weight," 6 Jan. 2018
Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of a probiotic mixture in curing C. Diff infection through a fecal microbiota transplant (FMT).

— tara smith, SELF, "Are Probiotics Anything More Than Hype?," 14 Sep. 2017
There’s growing evidence of a link between the brain and our microbiota as well.

— jasenka zubcevic and christopher martyniuk, Washington Post, "Tiny gut organisms may influence food cravings and what our bodies do with fat," 13 Aug. 2017
The most promising new treatment for recurring C. diff infections is fecal microbiota transplantation — infusing beneficial intestinal bacteria into patients to compete with C. diff, according to the study.

— rita giordano, Philly.com, "Penn study finds deadly C. diff infections are on the rise," 3 July 2017
The time of day when people eat also can throw microbiota off-kilter.

— larry m. greenberg, WSJ, "How Disrupting Your Gut’s Rhythm Affects Your Health," 27 Feb. 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of microbiota

micro- + biota

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1914

See Words from the same year

Medical Dictionary

microbiota

noun mi·cro·bi·o·ta \ -bī-ˈōt-ə \

medical Definition of microbiota

: the microscopic organisms of a particular environment : microbiome 1

The more we learn about our microbiota, however, the more we realize how easy it is for helpful microbes to get caught in the line of fire between an antibiotic and its intended target.
—Nathan Wolfe, National Geographic, January 2013