biology

[ bahy-ol-uh-jee ]

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.

3. 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.

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
3. the animal and plant life of a particular region

biology

/ bī-ŏl′ə-jē /

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

biology

1. The study of life and living systems.

Derived Forms

• biˈologist, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of biology¹

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

Example Sentences

She explains that her classes at school were focussed on the biology of reproduction, rather than the experience of sex.

From BBC

This model incorporates data on the thermal and evolutionary biology of common yet thermally sensitive corals, as well as their ecology.

From Science Daily

"It was a pleasure to puzzle out the findings of the study together by uniting the team's expertise in data analysis and cell biology," said Tobias Gerber, another of the study's lead authors.

From Science Daily

Further research could explore the underlying biology of the adaptive mechanism and uncover new ways to combat one of the biggest looming crises in global health.

From Science Daily

"Our research is innovative because we have chosen to understand the biology of early dinosaurs based on their dietary preferences. There were many surprising discoveries along the way."

From Science Daily

Related Words

• anthropology
• biological science
• ecology
• environmental science
• medicine
• natural science
• zoology