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

In Arctic animals such as the woolly mammoth, the degradation is slower due to freezing temperatures, but the DNA still becomes damaged, and over long periods it is expected to lose the structure and the attributes that make up the species’ biology. —Jacopo Prisco, CNN, 11 July 2024

For example, a late June decision upholding bans on homeless people sleeping in public places criminalizes human biology, as the dissent noted. —The Editors, Scientific American, 10 July 2024

These papers are part of the Space Omics and Medical Atlas package of manuscripts, data, protocols and repositories that represent the largest collection ever assembled for aerospace medicine and space biology. —Discover Magazine, 5 July 2024

Jellyfish are some of the planet’s oldest creatures, according to the Marine Conservation Society, and have been successful because of their rudimentary biology. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 2 July 2024

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

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