bioassay

[ noun bahy-oh-uh-sey, -as-ey; verb bahy-oh-uh-sey ]

noun

1. determination of the biological activity or potency of a substance, as a vitamin or hormone, by testing its effect on the growth of an organism.

verb (used with object)

, bi·o·as·sayed, bi·o·as·say·ing.

1. to subject to a bioassay.

bioassay

noun

1. a method of determining the concentration, activity, or effect of a change to substance by testing its effect on a living organism and comparing this with the activity of an agreed standard

verb

1. tr to subject to a bioassay

bioassay

/ bī′ō-ăs′ā′,-ă-sā′ /

1. Determination of the relative purity of a substance, such as a drug or hormone, by comparing its effects with those of a standard preparation on a culture of living cells or a test organism.
2. A test used to determine such purity.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bioassay¹

First recorded in 1910–15; bio(logical) + assay