metabolic

adjective

met·​a·​bol·​ic ˌme-tə-ˈbä-lik How to pronounce metabolic (audio)
: of, relating to, or based on metabolism
metabolically adverb

Examples of metabolic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Certain ingredients, like berberine, green tea extract, and others, have shown potential to support metabolic health, but their effects are typically modest compared to prescription GLP-1 agonists, says Dr. Snyder. Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 4 Oct. 2024 Eat small meals and eat more often: Avoid foods high in protein that increase metabolic heat. Staff Reports, The Arizona Republic, 1 Oct. 2024 This is a dangerous shift in electrolytes and metabolic health that can occur from increasing calorie intake after a prolonged period of malnourishment. Isabel Vasquez Rd Ldn, Health, 27 Sep. 2024 The biological impact of stressors on the metabolic system were generally larger for females than males. Caitlin Owens, Axios, 23 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for metabolic 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'metabolic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from German metabolisch, borrowed from Greek metabolikós "changeable, subject to change," from metabolḗ "change, transition" (from metabol-, stem in noun derivation of metabállein "to put into a different position, turn about, change, alter," from meta- meta- + bállein "to reach by throwing, let fly, strike, put, place") + -ikos -ic entry 1 — more at devil entry 1

Note: The term was introduced by the German physiologist Theodor Schwann (1810-82) in Die Mikroskopischen Untersuchungen über die Uebereinstimmung in der Struktur und dem Wachsthum der Thiere und Pflanzen (Berlin, 1839), p. 229: "Die Frage über die Grundkraft der Organismen reducirt sich also auf die Frage über die Grundkräfte der einzelnen Zellen. Wir müssen nun die allgemeinen Erscheinungen der Zellenbildung betrachten, um zu finden, welche Kräfte man zur Erklärung derselben in den Zellen voraussetzen muss. Diese Erscheinungen lassen sich unter zwei natürlichen Gruppen bringen: Erstens Erscheinungen, die sich auf die Zusammenfügung der Moleküle zu einer Zelle beziehn; man kann sie die plastischen Erscheinungen der Zellen nennen; zweitens Erscheinungen, die sich auf chemische Veränderungen, sowohl der Bestandtheile der Zelle selbst, als des umgebenden Cytoblastems beziehn; diese kann man metabolische Erscheinungen nennen (τὸ μεταβολικὸν [sic] was Umwandlung hervorzubringen oder zu erleiden geneigt ist)." — "The question, then, as to the fundamental powers of organized bodies resolves itself into that of the fundamental powers of the individual cells. We must now consider the general phenomena attending the formation of cells, in order to discover what powers may be presumed to exist in the cells to explain them. These phenomena may be arranged in two natural groups: first, those which relate to the combination of the molecules to form a cell, and which may be denominated the plastic phenomena of the cells; secondly, those which result from chemical changes either in the component particles of the cell itself, or in the surrounding cytoblastema [fluid held to be the formative substance from which cells arise], and which may be called metabolic phenomena (tò metabolikòn, implying that which is liable to occasion or to suffer change)." (Microscopical Researches into the Accordance in the Structure and Growth of Animals and Plants, translator Henry Smith, London, 1847).

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of metabolic was in 1841

Dictionary Entries Near metabolic

Cite this Entry

“Metabolic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metabolic. Accessed 13 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

metabolic

adjective
met·​a·​bol·​ic ˌmet-ə-ˈbäl-ik How to pronounce metabolic (audio)
: of, relating to, or based on metabolism
metabolic activity
a metabolic disorder
metabolically adverb

Medical Definition

metabolic

adjective
met·​a·​bol·​ic ˌmet-ə-ˈbäl-ik How to pronounce metabolic (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or based on metabolism
2
: vegetative sense 1a(2)
used especially of a cell nucleus that is not dividing
metabolically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on metabolic

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