Definition of Extremophile Extremophile: An organism that lives
under extreme conditions. An example of an extremophile is
Methanococcus jannaschii, a microbe that lives near hydrothermal
vents deep beneath the sea. The term extremophile was coined
late in the 20th century from extreme + -phile, liking = liking
extreme (conditions). Last Editorial Review: 6/14/2012 Back to
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