Biofilm

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A dynamic assemblage of microorganisms that adhere to surfaces and are often surrounded by a protective extracellular matrix
2. A complex community of microorganisms that form a cohesive layer on surfaces, often enveloped in a protective matrix that facilitates their survival and growth
3. A structured arrangement of microorganisms that attach to various surfaces and are typically encased in a self-produced protective layer that supports their habitat

Etymology: "Biofilm" is a plain compound: "bio-", from Greek "bios" meaning "life", joined to "film" in its older sense of a thin layer or coating. The pairing describes exactly what the word names, a film made of living organisms, most often bacteria, that sticks to a surface and holds together in a slime-wrapped community. The term was first used in the early 1970s in the context of wastewater treatment, where engineers had long noticed slimy coatings growing on filters, pipes and tanks. Giving those coatings a single name let researchers study them as a distinct phenomenon rather than as an annoyance in sewage plants.

Synonyms: slime layer, microbial film