| biology | | |
| n. (cognition) | 1. biological science, biology | the science that studies living organisms. |
| ~ cell | (biology) the basic structural and functional unit of all organisms; they may exist as independent units of life (as in monads) or may form colonies or tissues as in higher plants and animals. |
| ~ culture | (biology) the growing of microorganisms in a nutrient medium (such as gelatin or agar).; "the culture of cells in a Petri dish" |
| ~ monad | (biology) a single-celled microorganism (especially a flagellate protozoan). |
| ~ homogeny | (biology) similarity because of common evolution. |
| ~ isomorphism, isomorphy | (biology) similarity or identity of form or shape or structure. |
| ~ heterology | (biology) the lack of correspondence of apparently similar body parts. |
| ~ valence, valency | (biology) a relative capacity to unite or react or interact as with antigens or a biological substrate. |
| ~ coarctation | (biology) a narrowing or constriction of a vessel or canal; especially a congenital narrowing of the aorta. |
| ~ spindle | (biology) tiny fibers that are seen in cell division; the fibers radiate from two poles and meet at the equator in the middle.; "chromosomes are distributed by spindles in mitosis and meiosis" |
| ~ meme | a cultural unit (an idea or value or pattern of behavior) that is passed from one person to another by non-genetic means (as by imitation).; "memes are the cultural counterpart of genes" |
| ~ bioscience, life science | any of the branches of natural science dealing with the structure and behavior of living organisms. |
| ~ biogeography | dealing with the geographical distribution of animals and plants. |
| ~ phytology, botany | the branch of biology that studies plants. |
| ~ cryobiology | the branch of biology that studies the effects of low temperatures on living tissues or organs or organisms. |
| ~ cytology | the branch of biology that studies the structure and function of cells. |
| ~ bionomics, environmental science, ecology | the branch of biology concerned with the relations between organisms and their environment. |
| ~ embryology | the branch of biology that studies the formation and early development of living organisms. |
| ~ astrobiology, exobiology, space biology | the branch of biology concerned with the effects of outer space on living organisms and the search for extraterrestrial life. |
| ~ forestry | the science of planting and caring for forests and the management of growing timber. |
| ~ genetic science, genetics | the branch of biology that studies heredity and variation in organisms. |
| ~ microbiology | the branch of biology that studies microorganisms and their effects on humans. |
| ~ molecular biology | the branch of biology that studies the structure and activity of macromolecules essential to life (and especially with their genetic role). |
| ~ morphology | the branch of biology that deals with the structure of animals and plants. |
| ~ neurobiology | the branch of biology that deals with the anatomy and physiology and pathology of the nervous system. |
| ~ palaeobiology, paleobiology | a branch of paleontology that deals with the origin and growth and structure of fossil animals and plants as living organisms. |
| ~ physiology | the branch of the biological sciences dealing with the functioning of organisms. |
| ~ radiobiology | the branch of biology that studies the effects of radiation on living organisms. |
| ~ sociobiology | the branch of biology that conducts comparative studies of the social organization of animals (including human beings) with regard to its evolutionary history. |
| ~ zoological science, zoology | the branch of biology that studies animals. |
| ~ cell doctrine, cell theory | (biology) the theory that cells form the fundamental structural and functional units of all living organisms; proposed in 1838 by Matthias Schleiden and by Theodor Schwann. |
| ~ evolutionism, theory of evolution, theory of organic evolution | (biology) a scientific theory of the origin of species of plants and animals. |
| ~ theory of inheritance | (biology) a theory of how characteristics of one generation are derived from earlier generations. |
| ~ cybernetics | (biology) the field of science concerned with processes of communication and control (especially the comparison of these processes in biological and artificial systems). |
| ~ taxonomy | (biology) study of the general principles of scientific classification. |
| ~ cataplasia | (biology) degenerative reversion of cells or tissue to a less differentiated or more primitive form. |
| ~ subkingdom | (biology) a taxonomic group comprising a major division of a kingdom. |
| ~ variety | (biology) a taxonomic category consisting of members of a species that differ from others of the same species in minor but heritable characteristics.; "varieties are frequently recognized in botany" |
| ~ phylum | (biology) the major taxonomic group of animals and plants; contains classes. |
| ~ subphylum | (biology) a taxonomic group ranking between a phylum and a class. |
| ~ superphylum | (biology) a taxonomic group ranking between a phylum and below a class or subclass. |
| ~ class | (biology) a taxonomic group containing one or more orders. |
| ~ subclass | (biology) a taxonomic category below a class and above an order. |
| ~ superclass | (biology) a taxonomic class below a phylum and above a class. |
| ~ order | (biology) taxonomic group containing one or more families. |
| ~ suborder | (biology) taxonomic group that is a subdivision of an order. |
| ~ superorder | (biology) a taxonomic group ranking above an order and below a class or subclass. |
| ~ family | (biology) a taxonomic group containing one or more genera.; "sharks belong to the fish family" |
| ~ superfamily | (biology) a taxonomic group ranking below an order but above a family. |
| ~ form family | (biology) an artificial taxonomic category for organisms of which the true relationships are obscure. |
| ~ subfamily | (biology) a taxonomic category below a family. |
| ~ tribe | (biology) a taxonomic category between a genus and a subfamily. |
| ~ genus | (biology) taxonomic group containing one or more species. |
| ~ subgenus | (biology) taxonomic group between a genus and a species. |
| ~ monotype | (biology) a taxonomic group with a single member (a single species or genus). |
| ~ type genus | (biology) genus from which the name of a family or subfamily is formed; it is not necessarily the most representative genus but often the largest or best known or earliest described. |
| ~ form genus | (biology) an artificial taxonomic category for organisms of which the true relationships are obscure. |
| ~ species | (biology) taxonomic group whose members can interbreed. |
| ~ subspecies, race | (biology) a taxonomic group that is a division of a species; usually arises as a consequence of geographical isolation within a species. |
| ~ var., variant, strain, form | (biology) a group of organisms within a species that differ in trivial ways from similar groups.; "a new strain of microorganisms" |
| ~ type | (biology) the taxonomic group whose characteristics are used to define the next higher taxon. |
| ~ type species | (biology) the species that best exemplifies the essential characteristics of the genus to which it belongs. |
| ~ division | (biology) a group of organisms forming a subdivision of a larger category. |
| ~ biologist, life scientist | (biology) a scientist who studies living organisms. |
| ~ mutant, mutation, sport, variation | (biology) an organism that has characteristics resulting from chromosomal alteration. |
| ~ organic phenomenon | (biology) a natural phenomenon involving living plants and animals. |
| ~ dehiscence | (biology) release of material by splitting open of an organ or tissue; the natural bursting open at maturity of a fruit or other reproductive body to release seeds or spores or the bursting open of a surgically closed wound. |
| ~ pleomorphism | (biology) the appearance of two or more distinctly different forms in the life cycle of some organisms. |
| ~ polymorphism | (biology) the existence of two or more forms of individuals within the same animal species (independent of sex differences). |
| ~ dimorphism | (biology) the existence of two forms of individual within the same animal species (independent of sex differences). |
| ~ recognition | (biology) the ability of one molecule to attach to another molecule that has a complementary shape.; "molecular recognition drives all of biology, for instance, hormone and receptor or antibody-antigen interactions or the organization of molecules into larger biologically active entities" |
| ~ elan vital, life force, vital force, vitality | (biology) a hypothetical force (not physical or chemical) once thought by Henri Bergson to cause the evolution and development of organisms. |
| ~ accretion | (biology) growth by addition as by the adhesion of parts or particles. |
| ~ anisogamy | (biology) reproduction by the union or fusion of two differing gametes (especially differing in size). |
| ~ apposition | (biology) growth in the thickness of a cell wall by the deposit of successive layers of material. |
| ~ rotting, putrefaction, rot, decomposition | (biology) the process of decay caused by bacterial or fungal action. |
| ~ organic evolution, phylogenesis, phylogeny, evolution | (biology) the sequence of events involved in the evolutionary development of a species or taxonomic group of organisms. |
| ~ growing, growth, ontogenesis, ontogeny, maturation, development | (biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level.; "he proposed an indicator of osseous development in children" |
| ~ intussusception | (biology) growth in the surface area of a cell by the deposit of new particles between existing particles in the cell wall. |
| ~ isogamy | (biology) reproduction by the union or fusion of gametes of the same size and structure. |
| ~ osmosis | (biology, chemistry) diffusion of molecules through a semipermeable membrane from a place of higher concentration to a place of lower concentration until the concentration on both sides is equal. |
| ~ regeneration | (biology) growth anew of lost tissue or destroyed parts or organs. |
| ~ reproduction | the process of generating offspring. |
| ~ specialisation, differentiation, specialization | (biology) the structural adaptation of some body part for a particular function.; "cell differentiation in the developing embryo" |
| ~ phylogenetic relation, affinity | (biology) state of relationship between organisms or groups of organisms resulting in resemblance in structure or structural parts.; "in anatomical structure prehistoric man shows close affinity with modern humans" |
| ~ uncus | (biology) any hook-shaped process or part. |
| ~ brachium | (biology) a branching or armlike part of an animal. |
| ~ turgor | (biology) the normal rigid state of fullness of a cell or blood vessel or capillary resulting from pressure of the contents against the wall or membrane. |
| ~ activator | (biology) any agency bringing about activation; a molecule that increases the activity of an enzyme or a protein that increases the production of a gene product in DNA transcription. |
| ~ medium | (biology) a substance in which specimens are preserved or displayed. |
| ~ procreate, reproduce, multiply | have offspring or produce more individuals of a given animal or plant.; "The Bible tells people to procreate" |
| ~ propagate | multiply sexually or asexually. |
| ~ vegetate | propagate asexually.; "The bacterial growth vegetated along" |
| ~ enucleate | remove the nucleus from (a cell). |
| ~ transform | change (a bacterial cell) into a genetically distinct cell by the introduction of DNA from another cell of the same or closely related species. |
| ~ conjugate | undergo conjugation. |
| ~ replicate, copy | reproduce or make an exact copy of.; "replicate the cell"; "copy the genetic information" |
| ~ inhibit | limit, block, or decrease the action or function of.; "inhibit the action of the enzyme"; "inhibit the rate of a chemical reaction" |
| ~ abaxial, dorsal | facing away from the axis of an organ or organism.; "the abaxial surface of a leaf is the underside or side facing away from the stem" |
| ~ adaxial, ventral | nearest to or facing toward the axis of an organ or organism.; "the upper side of a leaf is known as the adaxial surface" |
| ~ antrorse | bent or curved forward or upward.; "a plant having antrorse hairs on the stem" |
| ~ retrorse | bent or curved backward or downward.; "leaves with retrorse barbs" |
| ~ semiaquatic, subaquatic | partially aquatic; living or growing partly on land and partly in water.; "a marginal subaquatic flora" |
| ~ subaquatic, subaqueous, submerged, submersed, underwater | growing or remaining under water.; "viewing subaqueous fauna from a glass-bottomed boat"; "submerged leaves" |
| ~ amphibiotic, semiaquatic | having an aquatic early or larval form and a terrestrial adult form. |
| ~ stalkless, sessile | attached directly by the base; not having an intervening stalk.; "sessile flowers"; "the shell of a sessile barnacle is attached directly to a substrate" |
| ~ pedunculate, stalked | having or growing on or from a peduncle or stalk.; "a pedunculate flower"; "a pedunculate barnacle is attached to the substrate by a fleshy foot or stalk" |
| ~ sessile | permanently attached to a substrate; not free to move about.; "sessile marine animals and plants" |
| ~ dormant, hibernating, torpid | in a condition of biological rest or suspended animation.; "dormant buds"; "a hibernating bear"; "torpid frogs" |
| ~ glabrous | having no hair or similar growth; smooth.; "glabrous stems"; "glabrous leaves"; "a glabrous scalp" |
| ~ canescent, hoary | covered with fine whitish hairs or down. |
| ~ puberulent, sericeous, downy, pubescent | covered with fine soft hairs or down.; "downy milkweed seeds" |
| ~ pilary, pilose, pilous | covered with hairs especially fine soft ones. |
| ~ tomentous, tomentose | densely covered with short matted woolly hairs.; "a tomentose leaf" |
| ~ tetramerous | having or consisting of four similar parts; tetramerous flowers. |
| ~ binuclear, binucleate, binucleated | having two nuclei. |
| ~ mononuclear, mononucleate | having only one nucleus. |
| ~ trinuclear, trinucleate, trinucleated | having three nuclei. |
| ~ formative | capable of forming new cells and tissues.; "a formative zone in developing bone" |
| ~ diurnal | of or belonging to or active during the day.; "diurnal animals are active during the day"; "diurnal flowers are open during the day and closed at night"; "diurnal and nocturnal offices" |
| ~ nocturnal | belonging to or active during the night.; "nocturnal animals are active at night"; "nocturnal plants have flowers that open at night and close by day" |
| ~ myrmecophilous | living symbiotically with ants. |
| ~ symbiotic | used of organisms (especially of different species) living together but not necessarily in a relation beneficial to each. |
| ~ free-living, nonparasitic, nonsymbiotic | not parasitic on another organism. |
| ~ vestigial, rudimentary | not fully developed in mature animals.; "rudimentary wings" |
| ~ plumate, plumose, plumed | having an ornamental plume or feathery tuft. |
| ~ acephalous | lacking a head or a clearly defined head.; "acephalous worms" |
| ~ alpine | living or growing above the timber line.; "alpine flowers" |
| ~ homologous | having the same evolutionary origin but not necessarily the same function.; "the wing of a bat and the arm of a man are homologous" |
| ~ homologic, homological | similar in evolutionary origin but not in function. |
| ~ heterologic, heterological, heterologous | not corresponding in structure or evolutionary origin. |
| ~ analogous | corresponding in function but not in evolutionary origin.; "the wings of a bee and those of a hummingbird are analogous" |
| ~ cernuous, nodding, pendulous, weeping, drooping | having branches or flower heads that bend downward.; "nodding daffodils"; "the pendulous branches of a weeping willow"; "lilacs with drooping panicles of fragrant flowers" |
| ~ ventricose, ventricous | having a swelling on one side.; "the ventricose gullet of an insect" |
| ~ in vivo | within a living organism.; "in vivo techniques" |
| ~ male | being the sex (of plant or animal) that produces gametes (spermatozoa) that perform the fertilizing function in generation.; "a male infant"; "a male holly tree" |
| ~ female | being the sex (of plant or animal) that produces fertilizable gametes (ova) from which offspring develop.; "a female heir"; "female holly trees bear the berries" |
| ~ hermaphrodite, hermaphroditic | of animal or plant; having both male female reproductive organs. |
| ~ versatile | able to move freely in all directions.; "an owl's versatile toe can move backward and forward"; "an insect's versatile antennae can move up and down or laterally"; "a versatile anther of a flower moves freely in the wind" |
| ~ epimorphic | characterized by incomplete metamorphosis; having the same number of body segments in successive stages. |
| ~ metamorphous | produced by metamorphosis.; "most insects are metamorphic as witness the stages as a butterfly develops from a caterpillar" |
| ~ natural | functioning or occurring in a normal way; lacking abnormalities or deficiencies.; "it's the natural thing to happen"; "natural immunity"; "a grandparent's natural affection for a grandchild" |
| ~ obligate | restricted to a particular condition of life.; "an obligate anaerobe can survive only in the absence of oxygen" |
| ~ facultative | able to exist under more than one set of conditions.; "a facultative parasite can exist as a parasite or a saprophyte" |
| ~ lasting, persistent | retained; not shed.; "persistent leaves remain attached past maturity"; "the persistent gills of fishes" |
| ~ caducous, shed | shed at an early stage of development.; "most amphibians have caducous gills"; "the caducous calyx of a poppy" |
| ~ labile | (chemistry, physics, biology) readily undergoing change or breakdown. |
| ~ thermolabile | (chemistry, physics, biology) readily changed or destroyed by heat. |
| ~ capitate | being abruptly enlarged and globose at the tip. |
| ~ fissiparous | reproducing by fission. |
| ~ lepidote, leprose, scabrous, scaly, scurfy | rough to the touch; covered with scales or scurf. |
| ~ differentiated | exhibiting biological specialization; adapted during development to a specific function or environment. |
| ~ generalised, generalized | not biologically differentiated or adapted to a specific function or environment.; "the hedgehog is a primitive and generalized mammal" |
| ~ stabile | (chemistry, physics, biology) resistant to change. |
| ~ stomatous | having a mouth or mouthlike opening. |
| ~ astomatous, mouthless | having no mouth or mouthlike opening. |
| ~ geniculate | bent at a sharp angle. |
| ~ actinomorphic, actinomorphous | capable of division into symmetrical halves by any longitudinal plane passing through the axis. |
| ~ bilaterally symmetrical, zygomorphic, zygomorphous | capable of division into symmetrical halves by only one longitudinal plane passing through the axis. |
| ~ sympatric | (of biological species or speciation) occurring in the same or overlapping geographical areas. |
| ~ allopatric | (of biological species or speciation) occurring in areas isolated geographically from one another. |
| ~ territorial | displaying territoriality; defending a territory from intruders.; "territorial behavior"; "strongly territorial birds" |
| ~ nonterritorial | not displaying territoriality.; "a nonterritorial species" |
| ~ compressed, flat | flattened laterally along the whole length (e.g., certain leafstalks or flatfishes). |
| ~ depressed | flattened downward as if pressed from above or flattened along the dorsal and ventral surfaces. |
| ~ uniparous | producing only one offspring at a time. |
| ~ multiparous | producing more than one offspring at a time. |
| ~ bilocular, biloculate | divided into or containing two cells or chambers.; "having a bilocular capsule" |
| ~ adnate | of unlike parts or organs; growing closely attached.; "a calyx adnate to the ovary" |
| ~ connate | of similar parts or organs; closely joined or united.; "a connate tomato flower" |
| ~ alary, aliform, wing-shaped, alar | having or resembling wings. |
| ~ bacillar, bacillary | relating to or produced by or containing bacilli. |
| ~ cellular | relating to cells.; "cellular walls"; "cellular physiology" |
| ~ extracellular | located or occurring outside a cell or cells.; "extracellular fluid" |
| ~ intercellular | located between cells. |
| ~ intracellular | located or occurring within a cell or cells.; "intracellular fluid" |
| ~ cenogenetic | of or relating to cenogenesis. |
| ~ palingenetic | of or relating to palingenesis. |
| ~ commensal | living in a state of commensalism. |
| ~ generic | relating to or common to or descriptive of all members of a genus.; "the generic name" |
| ~ mental | of or relating to the chin- or liplike structure in insects and certain mollusks. |
| ~ monotypic | consisting of only one type. |
| ~ polydactyl, polydactylous | of or relating to a person (or other vertebrate) having more than the normal number of digits. |
| ~ urceolate | urn-shaped; large below and contracted toward the mouth. |
| ~ isomorphic, isomorphous | having similar appearance but genetically different. |
| ~ polymorphic, polymorphous | relating to the occurrence of more than one kind of individual (independent of sexual differences) in an interbreeding population.; "a polymorphic species" |
| ~ nuclear | of or relating to or constituting the nucleus of a cell.; "nuclear membrane"; "nuclear division" |
| ~ nucleate, nucleated | having a nucleus or occurring in the nucleus.; "nucleated cells" |
| ~ bionomic, bionomical, ecologic, ecological | of or relating to the science of ecology.; "ecological research" |
| ~ basophilic | staining readily with basic dyes. |
| ~ taxonomic, taxonomical, systematic | of or relating to taxonomy.; "taxonomic relations"; "a taxonomic designation" |
| ~ saprobic | living in or being an environment rich in organic matter but lacking oxygen. |
| ~ katharobic | of living being in an oxygenated environment lacking organic matter. |
| ~ symbiotically | in a symbiotic manner. |
| n. (phenomenon) | 2. biology | characteristic life processes and phenomena of living organisms.; "the biology of viruses" |
| ~ life | the organic phenomenon that distinguishes living organisms from nonliving ones.; "there is no life on the moon" |
| n. (group) | 3. biology, biota | all the plant and animal life of a particular region. |
| ~ aggregation, collection, accumulation, assemblage | several things grouped together or considered as a whole. |
| ~ fauna, zoology | all the animal life in a particular region or period.; "the fauna of China"; "the zoology of the Pliocene epoch" |
| ~ botany, flora, vegetation | all the plant life in a particular region or period.; "Pleistocene vegetation"; "the flora of southern California"; "the botany of China" |
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