What does microbiome mean?
A microbiome is the community of microorganisms associated with a particular place, such as soil, seawater, the skin, or the human digestive tract. It includes organisms such as bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses, together with the genes and other biological material they collectively represent. The term is especially common in medicine and microbial ecology, where researchers investigate how a microbiome affects health, immunity, nutrition, and environmental stability. For example, the gut microbiome consists of the diverse microbial population living in the intestines and carrying out numerous metabolic and protective functions. A microbiome should not be confused with a microbe, which is one individual microorganism, or with microbiota, which more specifically denotes the organisms themselves. Because microbiomes are communities rather than isolated organisms, researchers often discuss their composition, diversity, balance, or disruption. The word is consequently useful whenever the focus is on life at the microbial scale as part of a larger biological system.
nounThe community of microorganisms, including their genes, found in a particular environment or within a host organism. The term is used especially for the microbial communities of the human body, such as those of the gut, skin, and mouth.
- The community of microorganisms associated with a particular environment or host, especially the bacteria, archaea, fungi, and other microbes inhabiting the human gut, skin, or mouth.
- The collective genomic material of the microorganisms living in a particular environment or within a host.
"A diverse microbiome helps protect the skin from harmful bacteria and other pathogens."
"Antibiotics can alter the balance of the gut microbiome."
"Researchers compared the microbiome samples collected from several locations in the river."
Used when referring to distinct microbial communities associated with different organisms, sites, or environments.
"The two species have markedly different gut microbiomes."
Your microbiome is a microscopic community, but its influence on health can be enormous.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does microbiome come from?
Microbiome combines the combining form micro-, from Greek mikros, meaning small, with biome, ultimately from Greek bios, meaning life. The compound was adopted in the biological sciences as a counterpart to terms such as genome, describing the microorganisms and genetic material associated with a particular habitat or host. Its relatives include microbe and microorganism, while microscope and microscopy share the same Greek element meaning small.
Related word forms
How microbiome is actually used
The term is primarily used in biology, medicine, and ecology. In biomedical contexts it generally includes both the microorganisms and their collective genetic material, although usage varies somewhat among researchers.
Easily confused with microbiome
Microbiota refers to the microorganisms themselves in an environment, whereas microbiome more often encompasses both the microbial community and its collective genetic material.
A microorganism is a single organism, while a microbiome is the community of microorganisms collectively associated with a particular habitat or host.