extremophile

British  

/ ɪkˈstrɛməˌfaɪl /

noun

1. a microbe that lives in an environment once thought to be uninhabitable, for example in boiling or frozen water

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extremophile Scientific  

/ ĭk-strē′mə-fīl′ /

1. An organism adapted to living in conditions of extreme temperature, pressure, or chemical concentration, as in highly acidic or salty environments. Many extremophiles are unicellular organisms known as archaea.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

extremophile

The extremophile bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans can survive the pressures developed during ejection from Mars as a result of massive asteroid impact.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 3, 2026

Organisms that can survive in this suspended, or anabiotic, state, Yarzábal explained, include not just extremophile bacteria but also viruses, fungi, protozoa and microscopic animals called nematodes.

From Salon ● Apr. 20, 2025

Despite their trouble culturing their extremophile samples, the researchers discovered a vast diversity of microorganisms in all five locations.

From Scientific American ● Jul. 21, 2021

A breeding ground for extremophile bacteria, like the darkest crevices of the Mariana Trench.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 25, 2020

“But it's an enzyme from an extremophile microbe that's being used in tests to diagnose COVID-19 right now.”

From Nature ● Jul. 12, 2020