microbial
Americanadjective
Explanation
Something that is microbial is related to or made up of tiny organisms that are too small to be seen with the naked eye, such as bacteria or viruses. A microbial infection is caused by such life forms. Microbial is the adjective form of the noun microbe, an older word for microorganism, "a very, very tiny living thing." A microbial colony is a large number of these tiny life forms living together. Microbial biotechnology uses microbes to create products or carry out processes useful to humans. For example, microbes are used in the production of medicines and fermented foods, such as yogurt. Microbial technology is also used in agriculture, environmental cleanup, and to create some biofuels.
Vocabulary lists containing microbial
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"This effect was also observed in germ-free mice, suggesting that butyrate can establish a lasting intestinal environment that does not depend on continuous microbial stimulation."
From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026
Paul Wigley, professor in animal microbial ecosystems at the Bristol Veterinary School, says improved surveillance and detection has also helped.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
Bradnam recommended that these issues warranted "further investigation" due to the potential risks to "equipment reliability and the possibility of microbial growth".
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
Knowing which foods influence particular microbial products could eventually help researchers design more precise dietary, probiotic, or metabolic interventions.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 15, 2026
The DNA of mitochondria is qualitatively different from the DNA of animal cell nuclei and strikingly similar to bacterial DNA; moreover, like microbial DNA, it is closely associated with membranes.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
