bio
noun
bio
1 American
[bahy-oh]
/ ˈbaɪ oʊ /
adjective
-
biological.
a bio control service using praying mantises to reduce the population of garden pests.
bio-
2
American
bio-
1
British
combining form
-
indicating or involving life or living organisms
biogenesis
biolysis
-
indicating a human life or career
biography
biopic
bio
2
British
/ ˈbaɪəʊ /
noun
Usage
What does bio- mean? The combining form bio- is used like a prefix meaning “life.” It is often used in scientific terms, especially in biology. The form bio- comes from Greek bíos, meaning “life.” The Latin cognate of bíos is vīta, “life,” which is the source of words such as vital. Find out more at our entry for vital. What are variants of bio-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, bio- becomes bi-, as in biome. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article for bi-.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of bio1
1945–50; by shortening; as adj., independent use of bio-, taken as a free form
Origin of bio-2
Combining form of Greek bíos life; akin to Latin vīvus living, Sanskrit jīvas. See quick
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"Kindness is cool," says the Instagram bio of 32-year-old Dereniowski, whose videos often involve him doing random acts of kindness for strangers.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
“The bio concerns are not there,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 21, 2026
Bottle bio: Produced in Galicia, Spain, this is a classic Rías Baixas Albariño with aromas of lemon zest, green apple, white flowers and oyster shell.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 6, 2026
“So all of these things are having really profound ripple effects. This is a situation where you really are seeing crystallized the need for bio preparedness.”
From Salon ● May 11, 2026
No one has ever talked to her about college except the school guidance counselor who halfheartedly recommended nursing school when she got an A last semester in bio.
From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline
It’s a concern, for instance, if government agencies decide to use AIs to explore bio- and cyber-weapons tech.
From Seattle Times ● May 23, 2024
Regulations that rely on static lists struggle to keep pace with fields as fast-moving as bio- and cybersecurity.
From Slate ● Mar. 17, 2017
Then, after revealing his fear of bio- or nuclear terrorism, he went on to talk about technology in education.
From Forbes ● Jul. 16, 2013
The group plans to open an institute for bio- and neuroengineering in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne and the University of Geneva.
From Nature ● May 29, 2013
The bio- and psycho-sciences were completely outside his field.
From Naudsonce by Piper, H. Beam
Kory Kantenga, LinkedIn’s head of economics for the Americas, tells me recruiters increasingly filter job candidates by the skills listed in their bios.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
The artists “performing” the covers—the Highway Outlaws, Waterfront Wranglers, Saltwater Saddles—all fit a certain pattern, with monthly listeners in the hundreds of thousands, zero social media footprint, and some very ChatGPT-sounding bios.
From Slate ● Aug. 26, 2024
Here are four names and their Cliff’s Notes bios to get you started.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 28, 2024
About a third said they preferred bios that included the term.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2024
“Now, everyone, please remain in your seats. We’ll get this panel going shortly, and we have some pretty incredible guests,” he began, before reciting the bios of the three speakers from memory, grinning wide.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
