| 1. | Physiology. the slowest, therefore rate-limiting, step in a process or reaction involving several steps. |
| 2. | Biology. an environmental factor that tends to limit population size. |
| Main Entry: | limiting factor |
| Part of Speech: | n |
| Definition: | an environmental variable that limits or slows the growth or activities of an organism; also, any environmental variable whose presence, absence, or abundance restricts the distribution, numbers, or condition of an organism |