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

Beyond detecting an increase in cell numbers, Boyd and colleagues observed that the types of microbes present changed over time.

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Infections, hormonal shifts and even gut microbes can trigger disease in susceptible people.

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The answers will surprise and delight, none more so than the fact that some microbes essentially “breathe” rocks.

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Future progress also depends on integrating microbes into national biodiversity and climate strategies, including "30 by 30" and One Health policies.

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One previous piece of research on Neanderthal DNA also showed that modern humans and Neanderthals shared an oral microbe - a type of bacteria found in our saliva.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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