What does nonbiological mean?
Nonbiological is an adjective meaning not biological: not connected with living organisms, the processes of life, or materials derived from organisms. It is especially common in science, medicine, and technology, where it distinguishes biological systems from mechanical, chemical, computational, or synthetic ones. For example, researchers may describe computer programs as undergoing nonbiological evolution, or may call a laboratory material nonbiological because it contains no organism-derived substance. The term is broad, so context determines whether it means simply “not related to biology,” “not alive,” or “not derived from living sources.” A related term, abiotic, is common in ecology and refers specifically to the nonliving physical components of an ecosystem. Nonbiological is therefore useful where the contrast is between the biological and nonbiological realms rather than between living and nonliving factors alone. Though more specialized than the simpler phrase “not biological,” it is valuable for technical discussion because it identifies an alternative system or origin without implying that the thing is itself a living organism.
adjectiveNot biological in nature or origin; not relating to living organisms or the processes studied by biology.
- Not relating to living organisms or to the processes studied by biology.
- Not derived from living organisms or biological materials.
"The coating is a nonbiological material designed to withstand high temperatures."
"Researchers are exploring whether nonbiological systems can evolve in ways that resemble Darwinian evolution."
"The coating is nonbiological and contains no material derived from living organisms."
Digital organisms can undergo something resembling natural selection—an evolution that is entirely nonbiological.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does nonbiological come from?
English formed nonbiological by combining the Latin-derived prefix non- (“not”) with biological. Biological comes through biology from Greek bios (“life”) and -logos (“study” or “discourse”); related English formations include biology, biogenesis, and biosphere. As biological vocabulary became established, non- was used to form a term for systems, materials, or processes outside that domain, yielding the modern adjective.
Related word forms
How nonbiological is actually used
The word is chiefly formal and technical, especially in biology, medicine, and technology. Its intended sense should be clear from context because it can describe something unrelated to biology, something not alive, or something not derived from biological sources.
Easily confused with nonbiological
Nonbiologic is used especially in medicine for substances not derived from living organisms, whereas nonbiological has a broader range of meanings and can also mean not related to biology.