probiotic

American  

[proh-bahy-ot-ik] / ˌproʊ baɪˈɒt ɪk /

noun

1. a food, usually dairy, or a dietary supplement containing live bacteria that replace or add to the beneficial bacteria normally present in the gastrointestinal tract.

   This chewable probiotic is packed with 10 billion live cultures.

2. a bacterium in a food or dietary supplement that replaces or adds to the beneficial bacteria normally present in the gastrointestinal tract.

   The probiotic in this product is a close cousin of brewer's yeast.

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adjective

1. being or relating to a food or dietary supplement containing live bacteria that replace or add to the beneficial bacteria normally present in the gastrointestinal tract.

   The doctor recommended a probiotic yogurt drink for my stomach problems.

probiotic British  

/ ˌprəʊbaɪˈɒtɪk /

noun

1. a harmless bacterium that helps to protect the body from harmful bacteria

2. a substance that encourages the growth of natural healthy bacteria in the gut

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adjective

1. of or relating to probiotics

   probiotic yogurt

Etymology

Origin of probiotic

First recorded in 1950-55; pro- ¹ + biotic, modeled on antibiotic

Explanation

Probiotics are the health-boosting microorganisms that make yogurt so good for you. If you have indigestion, your doctor may suggest you try taking probiotics. Long before the term probiotic was coined, scientists noticed that people who traditionally ate yogurt had long, healthy lives. Nobel winner Élie Metchnikoff is credited with the idea that good microbes in the gut can push out the bad ones. These good microbes, in the form of food additives or supplements, got the name probiotics from the Latin pro, "for," and the Greek biōtikos, "fit for life" or "lively."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

probiotic

Among the new guard of probiotic fro-yo purveyors is Myka, a chain from Madrid that sells frozen Greek yogurt.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026

"The Human Flatus Atlas will establish objective baselines for gut microbial fermentation, which is essential groundwork for evaluating how dietary, probiotic or prebiotic interventions change microbiome activity."

From Science Daily ● Mar. 14, 2026

At Tiny Health’s suggestion, Allen started giving her son probiotic supplements, which she said helped his constipation and sleeping.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 3, 2026

The study examined how ASC affects probiotic bacteria as well.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 2, 2026

Meanwhile, the first name of Kardashian’s Allura Grant could be a probiotic treatment for candidiasis.

From Salon ● Nov. 6, 2025