biology

noun

bi·​ol·​o·​gy bī-ˈä-lə-jē 

1

: a branch of knowledge that deals with living organisms and vital processes

advances in the field of biology

a biology textbook

2

a

: the plant and animal life of a region or environment

the biology of the rainforest

b

: the life processes especially of an organism or group

the biology of cancer cells

broadly : ecology

biologist

bī-ˈä-lə-jist 

noun

Examples of biology in a Sentence

advances in the field of biology

the biology of the rain forest

the biology of tumor cells

Recent Examples on the Web

That question was at the heart of what Kalb and Randler, a professor of biology at the University of Tübingen, wanted to understand. — Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026

Each turn of this film hinges on a choice that a human being makes, and those choices matter far past what each of those humans can see — certainly past trying to pull a girl by changing her biology grade over a landline. — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 18 Sep. 2026

Over the past decade, ctenophores have helped answer long-standing questions about fundamental biology, from how early nervous systems evolved to the origins of the mesmerizing phenomenon of bioluminescence. — Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 16 Sep. 2026

The university’s popular areas of study include computer science, biology and engineering. — Sacbee.com, 16 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

German Biologie, from bi- + -logie -logy

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing biology

• cell biology
• developmental biology
• evolutionary biology
• evolutionary developmental biology
• molecular biology

Rhymes for biology

• ology
• aetiology
• anthropology
• archaeology
• archeology
• audiology
• cardiology
• climatology
• cohomology
• cosmetology
• criminology
• demonology

Kids Definition

biology

noun

bi·​ol·​o·​gy bī-ˈäl-ə-jē 

1

: a branch of knowledge that deals with living organisms and life processes

2

a

: the plant and animal life of a region or environment

b

: the life processes of an organism or group

biologist

-jəst 

noun

Etymology

from German Biologie "biology," derived from Greek bi-, bio- "life" and -logia "study, science"

Medical Definition

biology

noun

bi·​ol·​o·​gy -jē 

plural biologies

1

: a branch of science that deals with living organisms and vital processes

2

a

: the plant and animal life of a region or environment

b

: the laws and phenomena relating to an organism or group

3

: a treatise on biology