noun
microbe
MYK-rohb
noun
1
A microorganism, especially one that causes disease; a germ.
"Washing your hands kills most microbes on the skin's surface."
"Scientists discovered a new microbe living in deep ocean vents."
How to Use Microbe
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA tiny living organism, usually a bacterium, too small to see without a microscope.
Common mistake
In everyday speech "microbe" often implies something harmful (a germ), even though scientifically many microbes are harmless or beneficial.
Common pairings
harmful microbes
kill microbes
gut microbes
Word Forms
microbes plural
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Washing your hands kills most _____ on the skin's surface.
Etymology
Borrowed from French microbe, built from Greek mikros ("small") and bios ("life") — literally "tiny life."