Relating to or characteristic of organisms that can live without oxygen, or describing processes that happen in the absence of air.
From Greek 'an-' (without) + 'aero' (air) + 'biotic' (relating to life). The term emerged in the late 19th century when scientists discovered microorganisms that thrived in oxygen-free environments, challenging the belief that all life required air.
Anaerobic bacteria are actually responsible for some of the most important processes on Earth—they create methane in swamps, help digest food in your gut, and can survive in the deepest ocean trenches where sunlight never reaches. Some of the earliest life on Earth was anaerobic, predating the oxygen-rich atmosphere we have today.
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