bioactive

adjective

bio·​ac·​tive ˌbī-ō-ˈak-tiv 

: having an effect on a living organism

bioactive molecules

bioactivity

ˌbī-ō-ak-ˈti-və-tē 

noun

Examples of bioactive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These bioactive compounds may help to suppress diseases like Fusarium wilt and reduce the transmission of bacteria from agricultural crops to humans. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 8 Apr. 2026

AlphaFold, which predicts three-dimensional, bioactive forms of a protein, has millions of sequences and a couple of hundred thousand structures. —Benjamin P. Brown, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2026

This serum uses a concentrated extract from platelets that features growth factors and bioactive proteins — not unlike what’s used in PRP therapy — to stimulate hair growth at the follicle level. —Rebecca Strong, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026

Among the many bioactive components that lion’s mane mushrooms do have are erinacines and hericenones—terpenoids known to enhance cognitive function and promote nerve repair. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bioactive

• attractive
• contractive
• extractive
• inactive
• proactive
• reactive
• refractive
• subtractive
• active
• tractive
• hyperactive
• interactive

Medical Definition

bioactive

adjective

bio·​ac·​tive -ˈak-tiv 

: having an effect on a living organism

bioactive molecules

bioactive pharmaceuticals and pesticides

bioactivity

-ak-ˈtiv-ət-ē 

noun

plural bioactivities