microbe
Microbe (noun) means a microorganism, especially one that causes disease; a germ. Example: “Washing your hands kills most microbes on the skin's surface.”
How to use microbe
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA tiny living organism, usually a bacterium, too small to see without a microscope.
In everyday speech "microbe" often implies something harmful (a germ), even though scientifically many microbes are harmless or beneficial.
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."
Synonyms
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Rhymes for microbe
See all rhymes for microbe →Frequently asked questions
What does “microbe” mean?
The word “microbe” means a microorganism, especially one that causes disease; a germ. In plain terms, a tiny living organism, usually a bacterium, too small to see without a microscope.
How do you pronounce “microbe”?
“Microbe” is pronounced MYK-rohb (/ˈmaɪkɹoʊb/ in IPA).
How do you use “microbe” in a sentence?
Here is “microbe” used in a sentence: “Washing your hands kills most microbes on the skin's surface.”
What part of speech is “microbe”?
“Microbe” is a noun.
Where does the word “microbe” come from?
The word “microbe” comes from French. Borrowed from French microbe, built from Greek mikros ("small") and bios ("life") — literally "tiny life.".
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