biological

adjective

variants: or less commonly biologic

|Updated on: 12 Jul 2018

Examples: biological in a Sentence

1 : of or relating to biology or to life and living processes

2 : used in or produced by applied biology

3 : connected by direct genetic relationship rather than by adoption or marriage

her biological father

—

biologically

play \-ji-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

See biological defined for English-language learners

See biological defined for kids

Examples of biological in a Sentence

the rights of the biological father in this case

Recent Examples of biological from the Web

Bones can help illuminate the biological features that allowed dinosaurs to get big, like air sacs and rapid growth rates.

— brian switek, Smithsonian, "The Most Massive of Dinos Evolved Earlier Than Previously Thought," 9 July 2018
The team specializes in chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents.

— katy moeller, idahostatesman, "National Guard hazmat experts tapped after 2 in Emmett sickened by unknown substance | Idaho Statesman," 18 May 2018
To all of us, biological, adoptive, foster, spiritual, communal, all the den mothers and grand mothers and great grandmothers and great great grandmothers, all the way back, happy Mother’s Day.

— erin jensen, USA TODAY, "Where does the time go? Gwyneth Paltrow wishes 14-year-old daughter Apple a happy birthday," 15 May 2018
Before vaccines, better sanitation and indoor plumbing, the root causes of such waves of illness and death were mainly biological: viruses, bacteria and parasites.

— mariette dichristina, Scientific American, "Our Planet, Ourselves: How Climate Change Results in Emerging Diseases," 1 May 2018
Dunaway's family, biological and not, will hold a service in his memory next week.

— hanna krueger, NOLA.com, "'He affected every day of my life for the better': Man set on fire in Gentilly Woods ID'd," 9 Mar. 2018
Not long ago, this was a rare perspective in the world of conservation, which traditionally took a lower-tech biological, ecological, and public-policy approach.

— virginia gewin, The Atlantic, "A Handheld DNA Scanner Could Crack Down on Wildlife Identity Theft," 9 Feb. 2018
There is a genuine risk of a war on the Korean Peninsula that would involve the use of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons.

— jeet heer, New Republic, "Could This Madman Accidentally Bring Peace to the Korean Peninsula?," 9 Feb. 2018
Whether children had moved between multiple foster homes, were worried about a parent being deported, or had been removed from their biological parents, the lasting effects of these early experiences were clear.

— dylan gee, Vox, "I study kids who were separated from their parents. The trauma could change their brains forever.," 20 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'biological.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of biological

1818

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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biological Synonyms

Other Biology Terms

autochthonous, fecund, homunculus, phylogeny, substrate

BIOLOGICAL Defined for English Language Learners

biological

adjective

: of or relating to biology or to life and living things
: related through birth

BIOLOGICAL Defined for Kids

biological

adjective bi·o·log·i·cal \ ˌbī-ə-ˈlä-ji-kəl \

1 : of or relating to biology or to life and living things

biological activity

2 : related by birth

Medical Dictionary

biological

adjective

variants: also biologic

1 : of or relating to biology or to life and living processes

2 : used in or produced by applied biology

3 : related by direct genetic relationship rather than by adoption or marriage

an adoptee who searched for years for her biological parents

—

biologically

play \-i-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

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