biotechnology

noun bio·tech·nol·o·gy \ ˌbī-ō-tek-ˈnä-lə-jē \

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

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biotechnological

play \-ˌtek-nə-ˈlä-ji-kəl\ adjective

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biotechnologically

play \-ji-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

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biotechnologist

play \-ˈnä-lə-jist\ noun

See biotechnology defined for English-language learners

See biotechnology defined for kids

Recent Examples of biotechnology from the Web

Madison biotechnology company FluGen Inc. will start another round of human trials on its universal flu vaccine next year.

— sarah hauer, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Madison's FluGen plans new human trials of universal flu vaccine," 9 Aug. 2017
These amazing products incorporate advanced 21st century plant biotechnology and five rose stem cells to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and help promote skin texture and suppleness.

— lilian min, Cosmopolitan, "This Hello Kitty Face Mask Might Be the Cutest Beauty Product Ever," 3 Aug. 2017
Provincial governments have published plans to push funds into areas such as biotechnology and cloud computing.

— The Economist, "Unnatural selectionChina’s state enterprises are not retreating but advancing," 20 July 2017
And while these are futuristic ideas, biotechnologies have been arriving much faster than anyone predicted, Dr. Church said.

— gina kolata, New York Times, "Who Needs Hard Drives? Scientists Store Film Clip in DNA," 12 July 2017
But the new work is raising troubling questions about how terrorists or rogue states could use modern biotechnology.

— ryan cross, Science | AAAS, "Top stories: The secrets of Roman concrete, superfast stars, and making a pox from mail-order DNA," 7 July 2017
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.

— john bohannon, Science | AAAS, "A new breed of scientist, with brains of silicon," 5 July 2017
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.

— william thornton, AL.com, "Thomas Friedman headlines EDPA's 'imerge' event Aug. 23 at Alabama Theatre," 5 July 2017
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.

— david holahan, USA TODAY, "New book: Will the woolly mammoth roam the earth again?," 3 July 2017

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

pathogen, salmonella, tetanus

BIOTECHNOLOGY Defined for English Language Learners

biotechnology

noun

Definition 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

noun bio·tech·nol·o·gy \ ˌbī-ō-tek-ˈnä-lə-jē \

Definition 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

noun bio·tech·nol·o·gy \ -tek-ˈnäl-ə-jē \

medical Definition of biotechnology

plural 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

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