probiotic
Americannoun
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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.
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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.
adjective
noun
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a harmless bacterium that helps to protect the body from harmful bacteria
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a substance that encourages the growth of natural healthy bacteria in the gut
adjective
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."
Vocabulary lists containing probiotic
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.
It is commonly present in yogurt and is generally recognized as a safe, off-the-shelf probiotic.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 19, 2026
The study, "Engineered probiotic Bifidobacterium for tumor-targeted pancreatic cancer therapy" was supported by funds from the Ludwig Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 19, 2026
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
Scientists in South Korea say a probiotic bacterium found in kimchi may help the body get rid of nanoplastics by binding to the particles inside the intestine and helping remove them through waste.
From Science Daily ● May 18, 2026
The team also tested the probiotic in germ-free mice.
From Science Daily ● May 18, 2026
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.
