What does biology mean?
Biology is the branch of science concerned with the study of living organisms — their structure, function, growth, origins, evolution, and interactions with one another and their environments. As both an academic discipline and a subject taught in schools and universities, it spans an enormous range of specialisms, from molecular biology and genetics to ecology, marine biology, and zoology. The word also has a broader, less common use: writers sometimes speak of 'the biology' of a particular region or habitat to mean its characteristic plant and animal life. Derived forms such as biologist, biological, and biologically are among the most frequently used words in modern scientific English, and the root bio- appears throughout the language in terms like antibiotic and symbiosis. Neutral in tone and universally understood, biology is essential vocabulary for anyone engaging with science, medicine, environmental issues, or education.
The scientific study of living organisms, encompassing their physical structure, chemical processes, molecular interactions, physiological mechanisms, development, and evolution.
"He earned his degree in biology before going on to medical school."
The plant and animal life characteristic of a particular region, habitat, or geological period.
"The lake supports a rich and unusual biology found nowhere else in the region."
Rarely used; occasionally seen in academic contexts referring to distinct systems of living processes (e.g. comparing the biologies of different species).
"The two species have markedly different reproductive biologies."
The word 'biology' didn't exist until around 1800 — for most of history, the study of life had no name at all.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of biology
The word biology was coined in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries from Greek roots: bios, meaning 'life', and -logia, meaning 'study' or 'discourse'. Its modern form became established in the early nineteenth century as scientists sought a single term for what had previously been scattered studies of natural history. It shares the Greek element bio- with cognates such as biography, antibiotic, and biopsy, all referring in some way to life or living matter.
Word family
Usage notes
A formal-to-neutral term used across academic, educational, and general scientific contexts. The second sense (the life of a particular place) is less common but well established in ecological writing.
Don't confuse with
Biology is the study of living organisms, whereas geology is the study of the Earth's physical structure and substances.