Methanotrophy is the process of energy generation by methanotrophic bacteria using methane as their primary carbon and energy source. However, there are several other terms used to refer to this process, including methane oxidation, methane assimilation, and methane utilization. Additionally, the term methanotroph refers to microorganisms that perform methanotrophy, while methane-oxidizing bacteria is another frequently used synonym. Some researchers also use methanotrophic metabolism, methane oxidation pathway, methane-assimilating microbiota, and methane-consuming bacteria as additional synonyms for methanotrophy. Despite the many different terms used to refer to this process, they all essentially describe the same phenomenon of using methane as a source of energy by microorganisms.