microbiome
noun
mi·cro·bi·ome
ˌmī-krō-ˈbī-ˌōm 
1
: a community of microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses) that inhabit a particular environment and especially the collection of microorganisms living in or on the human body
Your body is home to about 100 trillion bacteria and other microbes, collectively known as your microbiome.—
Carl Zimmer
Carl Zimmer… what's arguably become the hottest area of medicine: microbiome research, an emerging field that's investigating how the bacteria that live in and on our bodies affect our health.—Sunny Sea Gold
Sunny Sea Gold2
: the collective genomes of microorganisms inhabiting a particular environment and especially the human body
They form one community among the many that make up the human microbiome: the full genetic complement of bacteria and other organisms at home on your skin, gums, and teeth, in your genital tract, and especially in your gut.—Nathan Wolfe
Nathan WolfeExamples of microbiome in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And fiber is also the primary fuel source for the trillions of microbes that live in your gut and influence many aspects of health - from your immune system to mood, notes Holscher, whose research focuses on the microbiome.
—Maria Godoy, NPR, 18 May 2026
Unfortunately, that means many people are missing out on one of the key parts of a healthy gut microbiome.
—Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 18 May 2026
One of the biggest challenges is that everyone’s microbiome is different.
—Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2026
Neanderthals had a much richer oral microbiome than modern humans, as well as a low-carbohydrate diet, both of which resulted in fewer cavity-causing bacteria, previous research has shown.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for microbiome
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Maria Godoy, NPR, 18 May 2026
Unfortunately, that means many people are missing out on one of the key parts of a healthy gut microbiome.
—Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 18 May 2026
One of the biggest challenges is that everyone’s microbiome is different.
—Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2026
Neanderthals had a much richer oral microbiome than modern humans, as well as a low-carbohydrate diet, both of which resulted in fewer cavity-causing bacteria, previous research has shown.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for microbiome
Cite this Entry
“Microbiome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/microbiome. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
microbiome
noun
mi·cro·bi·ome
ˌmī-krō-ˈbī-ˌōm
1
: a community of microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses) that inhabit a particular environment and especially the collection of microorganisms living in or on the human body
The intestinal microbiome consists of the microorganisms that inhabit the gut.—Clara Abraham et al., The New England Journal of Medicine
Clara Abraham et al., The New England Journal of MedicineCollectively known as the microbiome, this community may play a role in regulating one's risk of obesity, asthma and allergies.—Carrie Arnold, Scientific American
Carrie Arnold, Scientific AmericanThe human oral microbiome comprises all microbial species in the oral cavity.—Naomi P. O'Grady, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Naomi P. O'Grady, The Journal of the American Medical Association2
: the collective genomes of microorganisms inhabiting a particular environment and especially the human body
As part of a new citizen-science initiative called the American Gut project, the lab sequenced my microbiome—that is, the genes not of "me," exactly, but of the several hundred microbial species with whom I share this body.—Michael Pollan, The New York Times
Michael Pollan, The New York TimesTogether, the genomes of these microbial symbionts (collectively defined as the microbiome) provide traits that humans did not need to evolve on their own.—Peter J. Turnbaugh et al., Nature
Peter J. Turnbaugh et al., NatureLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
