Reichian therapy noun

(also without cap) therapy designed to release inhibited or disturbed energies by the use of massage, controlled breathing, etc (also called bioenergetˈics)

bio- /bī-ō-/

combining form

1. Signifying: life
2. Living organisms
3. Life or living organisms in relation to their biological environment
4. Living tissue, as in eg the terms below

bioaccūmˈulate intransitive verb

Of a usu harmful substance, to build up in a living organism

bioaccūmulāˈtion noun

bi'oactive adjective

Having an effect on living organisms

bioassay /bī-ō-ə-sāˈ or -asˈā/ noun

The assessment of the strength and effect of a drug or other substance by testing it on a living organism and comparing the results with the known results of another drug, etc

bioastronautˈics singular noun

The science dealing with the effects of travel in space on living organisms

bioavailabilˈity noun

The extent to which a drug, etc, after administration (eg by mouth), is available to the tissue it is intended to act on

bioavailˈable adjective

biobibliographˈical adjective

Dealing with the life and writings of someone

biˈoblast noun

1. (Gr blastos germ) a hypothetical unit of living matter
2. A minute granule in protoplasm

biocatˈalyst noun

A substance, eg an enzyme, that produces or speeds up a biochemical reaction

biochemˈical adjective and noun

biochemˈically adverb

biochemˈist noun

biochemˈistry noun

The chemistry of living things, physiological chemistry (biochemical oxygen demand a measure of the amount of oxygen required by micro-organisms in a volume of water, used as a guide to the state of pollution of the water)

biˈochip noun

A silicon chip implanted into and functioning as part of a human body

biocidal /-sīdˈ/ adjective

Killing living material, pesticidal

biˈocide noun

bioclimatolˈogy noun

Same as biometeorology (see below)

biocoenology /bī-ō-sēn-olˈə-ji/ noun

The study of biocoenoses

biocoenosis /bī-ō-sēn-ōˈsis/ noun (pl biocoenoses /-nōˈsēz/)

(Gr koinos common) an association of organisms ecologically interdependent

biocoenotic /-notˈik/ adjective

Ecological

biocompatˈibility noun

biocompatˈible adjective

Compatible with and not harmful to living tissue

biˈocomputer noun

A computer with biological components, or modelled on the structure or function of biological molecules

biocomputˈing noun

Computing using biocomputers; same as bioinformatics (see below)

biocontrolˈ noun

Biological control

bioconverˈsion noun

The conversion of organic matter into usable energy, now esp by means of biological processes

biodāˈta plural noun (esp US and Anglo-Indian)

Biographical information, curriculum or curricula vitae

biodegrādabilˈity noun

biodegrādˈable adjective

(of substances) able to be broken down by bacteria

biodegradāˈtion (also biodeteriorāˈtion) noun

biodegradeˈ intransitive verb

biodestructˈible adjective

Biodegradable

biodiesˈel noun

A biofuel intended as a substitute for diesel fuel

biodiverseˈ adjective

biodiverˈsity noun

The diversity of the natural world, ecological variety and richness

biodynamˈic adjective

1. Dealing with the activities of living organisms
2. (of a system of land cultivation) fertilizing with organic materials only

biodynamˈics singular noun

bioecolˈogy noun

The branch of ecology dealing with the interrelationship of living organisms and the environment

bioelec'tric adjective

bioelectricˈity noun

Electrical phenomena in plants and animals

bioelectrotherˈapy noun

A form of physical therapy in which low-energy electric current is applied to the skin through a pad or membrane

bioenergetˈics singular noun

1. The biology of energy relationships in living organisms or energy changes produced by them
2. Reichian therapy

bi'oenergy noun

Fuel or electricity produced from organic matter

bioengineerˈ noun

bioengineerˈing noun see biological engineering under biology

bioethˈanol noun

Ethanol produced from fermented plant material, used as a petrol additive or substitute

bioeth'icist noun

bioethˈics singular noun

The study of the ethical problems produced by medical and biological research, etc

biofeedˈback noun

A technique for learning control of autonomic body functions in response to monitoring by electronic instruments such as an electrocardiograph

bi'ofilm noun

A thin surface layer of micro-organisms bound together by secreted polymer substances

bioflāˈvonoid noun

(also called citrin) vitamin P, a vitamin that regulates the permeability of the capillary walls, found in citrus fruit, blackcurrants and rosehips

biˈofuel noun

Fuel produced from organic matter, whether directly or through burning or fermentation

biˈogas noun

Domestic or commercial gas obtained by bioconversion

biˈogen /-jen/ noun

(Gr genos race, offspring) a hypothetical unit of protoplasm

biogenˈesis noun

1. (Gr genesis production) the derivation of living things from living things only
2. Biogeny

biogenetˈic or biogenˈic adjective

Relating to biogens, biogeny, or biogenesis (biogenetic law the theory of recapitulation of the history of the race in the development of the individual)

biogenous /-ojˈ/ adjective

1. Parasitic
2. Biogenic

biogˈeny noun

The course of organic evolution or development of living organisms

biogeochemˈical adjective

biogeochemˈistry noun

The science of plants and animals in relation to chemicals in the soil

biogeogˈrapher noun

biogeographˈical adjective

biogeogˈraphy noun

The geographical distribution of plants and animals

biˈograph noun

1. (Gr graphein to write) a biography
2. A bioscope

transitive verb (informal)

To write a biography of

biohazˈard noun

A danger of disease or pollution from living organisms, encountered eg during biological research

bioinformati'cian noun

bioinformatˈics singular noun

The use of computers to process information in biology, esp to analyse the structure of genes

bioluminescˈence noun

The emission of light by living organisms, such as certain insects, marine animals, bacteria, fungi

bioluminescˈent adjective

biolysis /bī-olˈi-sis/ noun

The disintegration of organic matter under the influence of bacteria

biomagnetˈics singular noun

A type of magnetic therapy in which small magnets are placed on acupuncture points

biˈomarker noun

1. A biological substance, the presence of which in serum may be an indication of disease (also markˈer)
2. A physical characteristic whose changes may be used to monitor the progression of a condition

biˈomass noun

1. The quantity or weight of living material (animals, plants, etc) in a unit of area
2. Living material as a source of energy

biomatēˈrial noun

Suitable synthetic material from which to produce artificial body parts that are to be in direct contact with living tissue

biomathematic'ian noun

biomathematˈics singular noun

Mathematics as applied to the biological sciences

biomechan'ical adjective

biomechanˈics singular noun

The mechanics of movements in living creatures

biomedˈical adjective

1. Of or relating to both biology and medicine
2. Applied to the study of the effects of stress, esp space travel, on living organisms

biomedˈicine noun

biometeorologˈical adjective

biometeorolˈogy noun

The effect of weather and climate on plants, animals and man

biometˈric adjective

biometrician /-trishˈən/ noun

biomˈetry noun

(Gr metron measure) the statistical or quantitative study of biology (also singular noun biometˈrics)

biomimet'ic adjective

biomimetˈics singular noun

A branch of science that bases new technology on mechanisms, features, methods and accomplishments found in nature

biˈomining noun (mining)

Same as microbiological mining (see under microbe)

bi'omolecule noun

Any chemical compound that occurs naturally in living organisms

biˈomorph noun

(Gr morphē form) a representation of a living thing as decoration

biomorphˈic adjective

bionomˈic adjective

bionomˈics singular noun

(Gr nomos law) the study of the relations between the organism and its environment, ecology

biˈoparent noun

A biological parent, not a step-parent or guardian

biopharmaceut'ical noun

A biological substance used as a drug, esp when manufactured (also adjective)

biophor or biophore /bīˈō-för/ noun

(Gr phoros carrying) a hypothetical unit of living matter proposed by AFL Weismann

biophysˈical adjective

biophysˈicist noun

biophysˈics singular noun

A form of biology dealing with biological structures and processes in terms of physics

biopīrˈacy noun

The development and often patented use by the more technically advanced countries of materials native to developing countries, eg medicinal plants, with no fair compensation to their country of origin

biˈoplasm noun

(Gr plasma form) protoplasm

bioplasˈmic adjective

biˈoplast noun

(Gr plastos moulded) a minute portion of protoplasm

biopoiesis /-poi-ēsˈis/ noun

The creation of living from non-living material as an evolutionary process

biopolˈymer noun

A polymer produced in living organisms

biˈoprospect intransitive verb

To investigate living organisms with the aim of discovering materials that can be exploited for commercial gain

biopsychologˈical adjective

biopsycholˈogy noun

The branch of psychology, or of biology, which deals with the interaction of mind and body, and the effects of this interaction

biopsychosocial /-sī-kō-sōˈshl/ adjective

(of diseases, etc) combining a biological, psychological, and social dimension

bioreacˈtor noun

A container in which micro-organisms are grown for industrial use

biorefin'ery noun

A facility that produces fuel, electricity and chemicals from organic matter

bioremediāˈtion noun

The use of living organisms to decontaminate soil by absorbing pollutants (cf phytoremediation under phyt-)

biˈorhythm noun

1. A periodic change in the behaviour or physiology of many animals and plants (eg hibernation and migration) mediated by hormones which are in turn influenced by changes in day-length
2. A circadian rhythm associated eg with sleep, and independent of day-length
3. Any of three physiological, emotional and intellectual rhythms or cycles, supposed to cause variations in mood or performance

biorhythˈmics singular noun

The study of biorhythms

bi'osafety noun

The control and containment of potentially harmful biological material

biosatˈellite noun

An artificial satellite containing living organisms to be studied during flight

biosciˈence noun

Any one of the biological sciences

bioscientifˈic adjective

biosciˈentist noun

biˈoscope noun

1. (Gr skopeein to look at) a cinematographic apparatus or theatre
2. A cinema (S Afr)
3. The cinema (S Afr inf)

biosecūrˈity noun

The protection of living organisms from harmful effects brought about by other species, esp the transmission of disease

biˈosensor noun

A living organism used to detect the presence of chemicals

bi'osolids plural noun

Solid excrement

biˈosphere noun

The part of the earth and its atmosphere in which living things are found

biospherˈic adjective

biostāˈble adjective

Not affected by the biological environment

biostratigraphˈic or biostratigraphˈical adjective

biostratigˈraphy noun

The stratigraphy of sedimentary rocks

biosynˈthesis noun

The production of complex molecules by a living organism

biosynthetˈic adjective

biosystematˈic adjective

biosystematˈics singular noun

The study of relationships of organisms and of laws of classification

biōˈta noun

The flora and fauna of a region

biˈotech noun

Biotechnology

biotechnologˈical adjective

biotechnolˈogist noun

biotechnolˈogy noun

1. The utilization of living organisms (eg bacteria) in industry, etc, eg in the creation of energy, destruction of waste, and the manufacture of various products
2. Ergonomics (N American)

bioterrˈorism or bi'oterror noun

The use for purposes of terrorism of disease-carrying organisms and agricultural pests

bioterrˈorist noun

bioturbaˈtion noun

The disturbance of the soil by living organisms

biˈotype noun

Within a species, a distinct sub-group

bi'owarfare noun

Biological warfare (qv under biology)

biˈoweapon noun

A disease-causing bacteria or toxic substance used as a weapon in war