Germ, microbe, bacterium, bacillus, virus:
病原體、微生物、細菌、桿狀菌和病毒：
Though not strict synonyms, are comparable because all denote organisms invisible to the naked eye, including organisms that are the causative agents of various diseases.
它們雖然不是很嚴格的同義詞，但它們都是肉眼看不到的有機體，都是各種疾病的起因。
Germ and microbe are the ordinary nonscientific names for such an organism and especially for one that causes disease.
病原體和微生物是此類有機體、尤其是致病有機體的不很科學的常用名。
Bacteria, the plural of bacterium and the form commonly in general use, is often employed as the equivalent of designation of a large group of prokaryotic microbes which are found widely distributed in water, air, soil, living things, and dead organic matter, which have structural and biological characteristics distinguishing them from other unicellular microorganisms (as protozoans), and only some of which are instrumental in producing disease in man, animals, and plants.
細菌這個詞常用復數形式，是壹些原核微生物的統稱，它們廣泛分布於水中、空氣中、戶外、各種活的和死的有機物上面。細菌的結構特性、生物特性和其他的單細胞微生物（原生物）是不同的，並且只有其中的壹部分才會讓人、動物和植物生病。
In addition to the pathogenic or disease-causing bacteria there are the saprophytic bacteria which live upon dead or decaying organic matter and which, for the most part, are beneficial in their effects which include many natural chemical processes (as fermentation, oxidation, and nitrification).
細菌中除了致病菌，還有腐生菌。腐生菌或存於死屍之上、或分解有機物，就這壹點來講，大多數腐生菌是有益的，因為這涉及到很多自然界的化學反應（比如發酵、氧化和硝化等）。
From Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of synonyms
摘自韋氏同義詞詞典
病原體、微生物、細菌、桿狀菌和病毒：
它們雖然不是嚴格的同義詞，但它們都是肉眼看不到的有機體，都是各種疾病的起因。
病原體和微生物是此類有機體、尤其是致病有機體的不很科學的常用名。
細菌這個詞常用復數形式，是壹些原核微生物的統稱，它們廣泛分布於水中、空氣中、戶外、各種活的和死的有機物上面。細菌的結構特性、生物特性和其他的單細胞微生物（原生物）是不同的，並且只有其中的壹部分才會讓人、動物和植物生病。
細菌中除了致病菌，還有腐生菌。腐生菌或存於死屍之上、或分解有機物，就這壹點來講，大多數腐生菌是有益的，因為這涉及到很多自然界的化學反應（比如發酵、氧化和硝化等）。
摘自韋氏同義詞詞典