aerobe

(âr'ōb')
n.
An organism, such as a bacterium, requiring oxygen to live. Also called aerobium.

[French aérobie : Greek āēr, air; see aero- + Greek bios, life.]

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(âr'ōb')
n.

An organism, such as a bacterium, requiring oxygen to live.

any organism or class of organisms that can grow in the presence of dioxygen. Facultative aerobes are also capable of growing in the absence of dioxygen, whereas obligate (or strict) aerobes have an absolute requirement for dioxygen. Compare anaerobe.

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A microorganism that grows in the presence of free oxygen and utilizes oxygen for oxidative phosphorylation.

• facultative a. — one that can live in the presence of oxygen.
• obligate a. — one that cannot live without oxygen.