microbe

[ mahy-krohb ]

noun

1. a microorganism, especially a pathogenic bacterium.

microbe

/ ˈmaɪkrəʊb /

noun

1. any microscopic organism, esp a disease-causing bacterium

microbe

/ mī′krōb′ /

1. A microorganism, especially a bacterium that causes disease.
2. See Note at germ

Derived Forms

• miˈcrobial, adjective

Other Words From

• microbe·less adjective
• mi·crobi·al mi·crobic mi·crobi·an adjective
• nonmi·crobic adjective
• unmi·crobi·al adjective
• unmi·crobic 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

“If there is something alive — imagine a Europanian microbe, let alone Europanian fish people — these things would be shot into space,” Nye said.

From Los Angeles Times

Their study appears today in Cell Host & Microbe.

From Science Daily

Generically, however, it refers to laboratory work that augments natural qualities of a microbe to facilitate experimental scrutiny or achieve a necessary goal, such as allowing microbes to produce a flu vaccine or bacteria to produce artificial insulin.

From Los Angeles Times

The group was intrigued with the healing properties of certain bacteria such as S. epidermidis, a microbe that naturally lives on human skin and has been shown to reduce inflammation.

From Science Daily

The study is a proof-of-concept that antibiotics that kill a pathogenic microbe while sparing beneficial bacteria in the gut can be developed for gram-negative infections -- some of the most challenging infections to treat, Hergenrother said.

From Science Daily

Related Words

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