Which term means the number of microbes Meaning and Definition
Which term means the number of microbes
Pronunciation
/ˈmɪkroʊbaɪə/
Part of Speech
Noun
Definition
The term that refers to the number of microorganisms present in a given area or sample.
Examples
- The scientist measured the microbial load to determine the level of contamination.
- The lab technician calculated the CFU (colony-forming units) to quantify the microbial population.
Synonyms
- Microbial load
- Colony-forming units (CFU)
Antonyms
- Sterility
- Asepsis
Additional Information
The term is commonly used in fields such as microbiology, environmental science, and public health to quantify the number of microorganisms present in a given sample or environment.
In medicine, the term is used to describe the number of microorganisms present in a patient’s body, such as in the case of an infection.
In environmental science, the term is used to quantify the number of microorganisms present in water or soil samples, which can be an important indicator of environmental health.
Etymology
The term originates from the Greek words “mikros” meaning small and “bios” meaning life.
Usage Notes
The term is often used in scientific and technical contexts, but can also be used in everyday language to describe the number of microorganisms present in a given environment.
Cultural References
The term has been used in popular media to describe the microbial population in various contexts, such as in films and television shows.
Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases
There are no idiomatic expressions or phrases that include the term.
Related Words or Phrases
Microorganism, microbiome, microbial community
Collocations
Microbial load, colony-forming units (CFU), microbial population
The term is commonly used in scientific and technical contexts, but its frequency of use in everyday language is relatively low.
Common Misspellings
Microbial load, microbial count, microbial number