English Explanatory Dictionary

microbe

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any microorganism; (loosely, nonscientifically) especially, a harmful bacterium.

Pronunciation

/ˈmaɪkɹəʊb/ /ˈmaɪkɹoʊb/ en-us-microbe.ogg [ˈmʌɪkɹoʊb] /ˈmɑɪkɹəʉb/ /ˈmɑɪkɹɐʉb/ /ˈmaɪkɹɐʉb/

Word forms

microbe microbes

Etymology

Borrowed from French microbe, from Ancient Greek μικρός (mikrós, “small”) and βίος (bíos, “life”). By surface analysis, micro- + -obe.

Related words

microorganism

Derived words

antimicrobe microbeless microbial microbian microbic microbicide microbiosis microbism microbivore microbivorous mimivirus nanobe pseudomicrobe radiobe supermicrobe
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