Definition of biotechnology
1 : the manipulation (as through genetic engineering) of living organisms or their components to produce useful usually commercial products (such as pest resistant crops, new bacterial strains, or novel pharmaceuticals); also : any of various applications of biological science used in such manipulation
2 : ergonomics 1
People Are Reading
Recent Examples of biotechnology from the Web
-
Provincial governments have published plans to push funds into areas such as biotechnology and cloud computing.
-
And while these are futuristic ideas, biotechnologies have been arriving much faster than anyone predicted, Dr. Church said.
-
The robots work for Zymergen, a biotechnology company that moved into this former electronics factory on the eastern shore of California’s San Francisco Bay in 2014.
-
Hudson, who will receive the innovation honor, has also been credited with helping to change the face of Huntsville in areas as divergent as downtown redevelopment, biotechnology and the arts.
-
The hero of this tale is Harvard professor and geneticist Dr. George M. Church, a Dudley Do-Right of high science who wants to use rapidly advancing biotechnologies to eradicate Lyme disease in humans, herpes in Asian elephants, and other scourges.
-
Smith was one of an international group of high school students presenting their projects in this premier competition recognizing outstanding research in the field of biotechnology.
-
In a report on monetary policy delivered to Congress in July 2014, officials said prices for smaller biotechnology and social media stocks were stretched.
-
Like Eli Lilly, Takeda also came to San Diego by acquiring a local biotechnology company, Syrrx, in 2005.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'biotechnology.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of biotechnology
1921
Other Microbiology Terms
BIOTECHNOLOGY Defined for English Language Learners
biotechnology
playDefinition of biotechnology for English Language Learners
-
: the use of living cells, bacteria, etc., to make useful products (such as crops that insects are less likely to destroy or new kinds of medicine)
BIOTECHNOLOGY Defined for Kids
biotechnology
playDefinition of biotechnology for Students
: the use of techniques from genetics to combine inherited characteristics selected from different kinds of organisms into one organism in order to produce useful products (as drugs)
Medical Dictionary
biotechnology
playMedical Definition of biotechnology
biotechnologies
1: the manipulation (as through genetic engineering) of living organisms or their components to produce useful usually commercial products (as novel pharmaceuticals); also : any of various applications of biological science used in such manipulation
2: ergonomics
Learn More about biotechnology
-
Spanish Central: Translation of biotechnology Nglish: Translation of biotechnology for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about biotechnology
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up biotechnology? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!