microbial
nounEtymology From microbe + -ial.
1
A microbe or bacterium.
microbial
adjUK /maɪˈkɹəʊ.bi.əl/ · US /maɪˈkɹoʊ.bi.əl/
Etymology From microbe + -ial.
1
Of, relating to, or caused by microbes or microorganisms.
- The close analogies between DNA-containing eukaryotic cell organelles and microbial symbionts require revision of classic cell theory, wrote Scwemmler and Schenk (1980) on introducing the field of endocytobiology.1991, Lynn Margulis, René Fester, Symbiosis as a Source of Evolutionary Innovation:
- Many genes with reproductive roles also have antibacterial and immune functions, which indicate that the threat of microbial attack on the sperm or egg may be a major influence on rapid evolution during reproduction.2013 May-June, Katrina G. Claw, “Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, archived from the original on 10 Jul 2013:
1 more example
- This type of bio-inspired material utilizes microbial calcite precipitation to heal cracks that develop autonomously, thereby enhancing the material’s durability and reducing maintenance costs.2024 October 10, Tiana Milović et al., “Enhancing Compressive Strength of Cement by Indigenous Individual and Co-Culture Bacillus Bacteria”, in Materials, volume 17, number 20, →DOI, archived from the original on 24 Feb 2025:
2
Small; tiny; minuscule.
- As I say, one must not blame the Christians too much for all this - partly because, after the communal periods which I have just mentioned, Christianity was evidently deeply influenced by the rise of Commercialism to which during the last two centuries it has so carefully and piously adapted itself; and partly because - if our view is anywhere near right - this microbial injection of self-consciousness was just the necessary work which (in conjunction with commercialism) it had to perform.1920, Edward Carpenter, Pagan and Christian Creeds, New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co., published 1921, page 191:
- Derived terms
- amicrobial, antimicrobial, electromicrobial, endomicrobial, geomicrobial, immunomicrobial, intermicrobial, microbial clock, microbial fuel cell, microbialite, microbially, monomicrobial, multimicrobial, nonmicrobial, paucimicrobial, perimicrobial, polymicrobial, promicrobial, pseudomicrobial, rhizomicrobial, sociomicrobial