biochemistry

noun

bio·​chem·​is·​try ˌbī-ō-ˈke-mə-strē 

1

: chemistry that deals with the chemical compounds and processes occurring in organisms

2

: the chemical characteristics and reactions of a particular living organism or biological substance

biochemist

ˌbī-ō-ˈke-mist 

noun

Examples of biochemistry in a Sentence

advances in the field of biochemistry

Recent Examples on the Web

In the 1990s, University of Southern California computer scientist Leonard Adleman solved the famous traveling salesman problem using nothing more than strings of nucleotides and biochemistry. — Mike McRae 22, New Atlas, 23 Sep. 2026

Bochantin plans on majoring in biochemistry and wants to become a fertility doctor. — Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026

Rather modern biochemistry may be largely the result of evolution. — Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026

Congressman Chris Pappas was an early leader in the race, but democratic socialist Karishma Manzur, a research scientist with a doctorate in biochemistry and molecular biology, had been rising in the polls. — Mike Toole, CBS News, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for biochemistry

• biogeochemistry
• chemistry
• cytochemistry
• geochemistry
• histochemistry
• neurochemistry
• photochemistry
• phytochemistry
• thermochemistry
• electrochemistry
• immunochemistry
• radiochemistry

Kids Definition

biochemistry

noun

bio·​chem·​is·​try ˌbī-ō-ˈkem-ə-strē 

: chemistry that deals with the chemical compounds and processes occurring in living things

biochemical

-ˈkem-i-kəl

adjective

biochemically

-i-k(ə-)lē

adverb

biochemist

-ˈkem-əst 

noun

Medical Definition

biochemistry

noun

bio·​chem·​is·​try -ˈkem-ə-strē 

plural biochemistries

1

: chemistry that deals with the chemical compounds and processes occurring in organisms

2

: the chemical characteristics and reactions of a particular living organism or biological substance

a change in the patient's biochemistry accompanied her psychological depression