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

But beyond all that, the sports issue has brought out the reality of biology itself, underscoring the fact that femininity and masculinity are not just states of mind, and that men and women are irreversibly, insurmountably different and distinct in anatomy and physiology. —Alanna Smith, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2026

Electricity increasingly appears to be one of biology’s go-to tools for coordinating and exchanging information between all kinds of cells. —Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 12 Jan. 2026

There is even evidence that philosophy majors have a higher acceptance rate to medical school than students who major in traditional subjects such as chemistry or biology. —Kenneth Seeskin, Chicago Tribune, 11 Jan. 2026

Hopefully, the researchers will incorporate these missing elements in future studies to make the model even closer to real human biology. —Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 10 Jan. 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

• anthology
• apology
• astrology
• christology
• chronology
• conchology
• cosmology
• cryptology
• cytology
• doxology
• ecology
• ethnology

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