microbe

[mahy-krohb]

noun

1. a microorganism, especially a pathogenic bacterium.

microbe

/ ˈmaɪkrəʊb /

noun

1. any microscopic organism, esp a disease-causing bacterium

microbe

1. A microorganism, especially a bacterium that causes disease.

2. See Note at germ

Other Word Forms

• microbeless adjective
• microbial adjective
• microbic adjective
• microbian adjective
• nonmicrobic adjective
• unmicrobial adjective
• unmicrobic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of microbe¹

1880–85; < French < Greek mīkro- micro- + bíos life

Word History and Origins

Origin of microbe¹

C19: from French, from _micro- + Greek bios life

Example Sentences

Humans are constantly exposed to microbes that could make us sick, and the immune system developed to protect us.

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Their experiments showed that a short blast of ultraviolet light killed the microbes and banished the stink.

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The microbe used by Stephen Wallace, professor of chemical biotechnology at the University of Edinburgh, was Escherichia coli, better known as E. coli.

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Scientists believe these features contain minerals produced by chemical reactions that could be associated with ancient Martian microbes.

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Some nasties, including dioxins, can be broken down by fungi and microbes.

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Related Words

• bacillus 
• bacterium 
• bug 
• germ 
• microorganism 
• pathogen 
• virus