microaerophile: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Rare (Technical/Specialist)Technical/Scientific
Quick answer
What does “microaerophile” mean?
A microorganism that requires oxygen to survive but at lower concentrations than are present in the Earth's atmosphere.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A microorganism that requires oxygen to survive but at lower concentrations than are present in the Earth's atmosphere.
Any organism, typically a bacterium, that thrives in environments with a low concentration of molecular oxygen. It can also refer to organisms adapted to live in specialized niches where oxygen is limited but not absent.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning, spelling, or usage. Pronunciation may differ slightly (see IPA).
Connotations
Identical in both regional varieties; strictly technical with no cultural or idiomatic variation.
Frequency
Extremely rare in both varieties, confined to microbiological, medical, and environmental science contexts. Frequency is equivalent.
Grammar
How to Use “microaerophile” in a Sentence
The [bacterium] is a microaerophile.[Microaerophiles] require low oxygen.Growth of [microaerophiles] occurs under microaerophilic conditions.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “microaerophile” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The bacteria microaerophilically metabolise the substrate.
American English
- The bacteria microaerophilically metabolize the substrate.
adverb
British English
- The culture grew microaerophilically in the specialised incubator.
American English
- The cells were grown microaerophilically for optimal yield.
adjective
British English
- Helicobacter pylori is a classic microaerophilic bacterium.
- We created microaerophilic conditions in the jar.
American English
- Campylobacter jejuni is a microaerophilic pathogen.
- The experiment requires a microaerophilic environment.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not applicable.
Academic
Used in advanced biology, microbiology, medical research, and environmental science papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Standard term in microbiology for classifying bacteria and describing laboratory culture conditions (e.g., using candle jars or gas packs).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “microaerophile”
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “microaerophile”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “microaerophile”
- Misspelling as 'microaerophille' or 'microaerofile'. Using it interchangeably with 'anaerobe' or 'aerotolerant'. Incorrect plural: 'microaerophiles' (correct), not 'microaerophile'. Confusing 'microaerophilic' (adj.) with 'microaerophile' (n.).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
An anaerobe does not require oxygen and may even be killed by it. A microaerophile requires oxygen to survive but at concentrations significantly lower than the 21% found in Earth's atmosphere.
In environments like the gastrointestinal tract (e.g., stomach lining for H. pylori), deep soil layers, aquatic sediments, and some spoiled food products where oxygen diffusion is limited.
No, the term is almost exclusively used in microbiology for certain bacteria and archaea. The concept of low-oxygen adaptation in larger organisms is described with different terminology (e.g., hypoxia-tolerant).
Using specialized equipment like gas jars with gas-generating packs that consume oxygen, incubators with controlled atmospheric gas mixtures, or by using a candle jar where a burning candle consumes some of the oxygen before being sealed.
A microorganism that requires oxygen to survive but at lower concentrations than are present in the Earth's atmosphere.
Microaerophile is usually technical/scientific in register.
Microaerophile: in British English it is pronounced /ˌmaɪkrəʊˈɛərə(ʊ)ˌfaɪl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmaɪkroʊˈɛrəˌfaɪl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It needs a Goldilocks zone of oxygen – not too much, not too little.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'micro' (small) + 'aero' (air/oxygen) + 'phile' (lover) = A lover of a tiny amount of air/oxygen.
Conceptual Metaphor
A Goldilocks organism: it likes its oxygen 'just right', not absent and not at normal atmospheric levels.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best describes a microaerophile?