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A hint of the Greek word bios, meaning "life", can be seen in microbe. Microbes, or microorganisms, include bacteria, protozoa, fungi, algae, amoebas, and slime molds. Many people think of microbes as simply the causes of disease, but every human is actually the host to billions of microbes, and most of them are essential to our life. Much research is now going into possible microbial sources of future energy; algae looks particularly promising, as do certain newly discovered or created microbes that can produce cellulose, to be turned into ethanol and other biofuels.
Examples of microbe in a Sentence
Andrea Muraskin, NPR, 11 Apr. 2026
Ecosystems are built on complex relationships among plants, animals, microbes and fungi.
—ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Researchers analyzed data from 50 studies involving more than 3 million people to examine how these foods — made using beneficial microbes like bacteria or yeast — are linked to overall mortality risk, as well as deaths from heart disease and cancer.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
The benefits of probiotics A healthy gut is a diverse one—the more friendly microbes, the better.
—Michele Ross, SELF, 8 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Microbe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/microbe. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
microbe
noun
Medical Definition
microbe
noun
