microbialadj.
/mʌɪˈkrəʊbɪəl/, U.S. /maɪˈkroʊbiəl/ Biology.
Of, relating to, or caused by microbes; of the nature of a microbe.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > organism > micro-organism > [adjective]
microphytal1859
microzoic1862
microphytic1869
corpusculous1871
germicide1871
mycetic1874
microzoal1876
microbic1881
microbian1883
microbial1887
microbal1888
microorganismal1888
micro-organic1891
microbious1892
1887 19th Cent. Aug. 244 There is a considerable difference found in the microbial richness of the air in different places.
1898 Nature 10 Feb. 355/2 Alcohol in relation to microbial diseases.
1899 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. VIII. 471 Rheumatism is..due to an infection..by an agent of microbial nature.
1945 S. A. Waksman Microbial Antagonisms 271 Antibiotic, inhibiting the growth or the metabolic activities of bacteria and other microorganisms by a chemical substance of microbial origin.
1955 Sci. Amer. May 35/2 What is most needed at the present time is some knowledge of the physiological and biochemical determinants of microbial diseases.
1990 S. H. Schneider in J. Leggett Global Warming ix. 191 Microbial communities in soils decompose dead organic matter into greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, or nitrous oxide.
Derivatives
miˈcrobially adv. by or with microbes.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > organism > micro-organism > [adverb]
microbially1945
1945 Science 6 Apr. 342/2 Far more nitrogen is fixed microbially now, and probably will continue to be, than will be fixed by artificial means.
1971 Flying Apr. 88 (advt.) Microbially induced corrosion of fuel tanks.
1993 Jrnl. Gen. Microbiol. 139 2273/1 Components which are indirectly involved in microbially mediated redox reactions.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2001; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
adj.1887