biology

[ bahy-ol-uh-jee ]
See synonyms for biology on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the science of life or living matter in all its forms and phenomena, especially with reference to origin, growth, reproduction, structure, and behavior.

  2. the living organisms of a region: the biology of Pennsylvania.

  1. the biological phenomena characteristic of an organism or a group of organisms: She is studying the biology of worms, especially in regard to their reproductive behavior.

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Origin of biology

1
From the German word Biologie, dating back to 1805–15. See bio-, -logy

Words Nearby biology

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use biology in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for biology

biology

/ (baɪˈɒlədʒɪ) /


noun
  1. the study of living organisms, including their structure, functioning, evolution, distribution, and interrelationships

  2. the structure, functioning, etc, of a particular organism or group of organisms

  1. the animal and plant life of a particular region

Derived forms of biology

  • biologist, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for biology

biology

[ bī-ŏlə-jē ]


  1. The scientific study of life and of living organisms. Botany, zoology, and ecology are all branches of biology.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for biology

biology

The study of life and living systems.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.