Word
microbiology
Phoneticsmi·cro·bi·ol·o·gy, stress on the fourth syllable
US/ˌmaɪkɹəˌbaɪˈɑɫədʒi/
UK/mˌaɪkɹəʊbaɪˈɒlədʒi/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. the study of tiny living things that are too small to see without a microscope, like bacteria and viruses.
n. the branch of biology concerned with the study of microscopic organisms, including bacteria, viruses, archaea, fungi, and protozoa.
Examples
“She is studying microbiology to understand how bacteria grow.”
“Advances in microbiology have allowed researchers to develop more effective antibiotics against resistant strains of bacteria.”
“The curriculum integrates microbiology with immunology to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of how microscopic pathogens interact with the human immune system.”
Examples
simple
“She is studying microbiology to understand how bacteria grow.”
contextual
“Advances in microbiology have allowed researchers to develop more effective antibiotics against resistant strains of bacteria.”
complex
“The curriculum integrates microbiology with immunology to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of how microscopic pathogens interact with the human immune system.”
Usage
Uncountable when referring to the academic field; can be countable when referring to the specific microbial life of a particular environment.
Real-World Examples
“I’m a professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine, where my laboratory studies microbiology and infectious disease .” “Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology had developed methods sensitive enough to detect very small amounts of RNA in bacterial cells.” Etymology
From micro- + biology.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/microbiology