Probiotic

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. Live microorganisms that, when consumed, provide health benefits by improving or restoring the gut flora
2. Beneficial bacteria or yeasts that support digestive health and enhance the balance of good microbes in the digestive system
3. Microbes ingested to promote a favorable balance of intestinal microorganisms and improve overall digestive function

Etymology: "Probiotic" is built from two pieces that each have their own long history. The first, "pro-", comes from Latin "pro", meaning "for" or "in favour of," and it reaches back through Proto-Italic to the same Proto-Indo-European root that gave English "for" and "fore." The second, "biotic," comes from Greek "biotikos," relating to life, from "bios," life. Joined together, the pieces mean roughly "for life," the opposite of the poison or germ idea that the word's relatives often suggest. The Latin "pro" is the same element found in words such as "proponent" and "prospect," where it signals advancing or favouring something. Combined with "biotic," the prefix turns the sense of life into active support for living systems. The term was formed in English from these classical parts, so it is a modern coinage rather than an ancient word; the Greek and Latin roots were simply assembled to name something new.

Synonyms: beneficial bacteria, good bacteria

Antonyms: pathogenic, harmful