TechnologyJuly 8, 2026

microbe

/ˈmaɪkroʊb/

Definition

A microscopic organism, such as a bacterium or fungus, that is often studied for its biological properties or chemical potential.

Etymology

The word is a 19th-century French formation, derived from the Greek roots 'mikros' (small) and 'bios' (life). It was coined to describe living organisms too small to be seen without a microscope.

In the news

The word is used in a sidebar headline to describe the environmental subjects being analyzed by researchers to potentially discover new antibacterial medications.

FSU researchers awarded $350K Humana Foundation grant to fight senior isolation with AI concierge technology

Read the full article ↗

Florida State University News

Related words

chargeback

An internal financial accounting practice where the costs of shared IT or cloud resources…

Technology

concierge

A personalized digital assistant or service platform designed to manage specific needs…

Technology

encyclical

A formal letter or document sent by a Pope to all bishops of the Roman Catholic Church,…

Technology

inference

A logical conclusion reached based on available evidence, data, or observations rather…

Technology

primitive

A fundamental, base-level unit or building block of a system that can be combined with…

Technology

revocation

The formal act of officially canceling, taking back, or withdrawing a previously granted…

Technology

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.

Not for marketing. One email on launch day.