microbiology
2 synonyms for microbiology, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The branch of science that studies organisms too small to see with the naked eye, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
microbial science
bacteriology
How to use microbiology
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
clinical microbiology
food microbiology
microbiology lab
medical microbiology
Neutral and technical; standard in academic and medical contexts.
Etymology
From Greek mikros 'small', bios 'life' and -logia 'study of'.
Full origin of microbiology →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between microbiology and biology?
Biology is the study of all living things. Microbiology is the branch that focuses only on microscopic organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and single-celled parasites.
What jobs can you do with a microbiology degree?
Common routes include clinical or biomedical scientist roles in hospital labs, quality control in food, water and pharmaceutical companies, vaccine and antibiotic research, and public health surveillance.
Is virology part of microbiology?
Yes, virology is usually treated as a subdiscipline of microbiology, alongside bacteriology, mycology and parasitology, although viruses are not strictly living organisms.
