-biosis

American  

1. a combining form meaning “mode of life,” used in the formation of compound words.

   aerobiosis; parabiosis.

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-biosis British  

combining form

1. indicating a specified mode of life

   symbiosis

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Usage

What does -biosis mean? The combining form -biosis is used like a suffix meaning “mode of life.” It is often used in scientific terms, especially in biology.The form -biosis comes from Greek bíōsis, meaning “state of living.” The Latin cognate of bíōsis is vivere, “to live,” which is the source of words such as survive, vivacity, and vivid. Find out more at our entry for each word.What are variants of -biosis?Although -biosis has no variants, it shares an origin with the combining forms bio- and -biont. Want to learn more? Check out our Words That Use articles for bio- and -biont.

Other Word Forms

• -biotic combining form

Etymology

Origin of -biosis

< Greek bíōsis, equivalent to biō-, verbid stem of bioûn to live + -sis -sis; anabiosis, symbiosis, on which subsequent coinages were probably modeled

Example Sentences

If an item is requested on the basis of a citation on a computer printout, supply all information given and be sure to indicate which data base was used, such as ERIC, Psych Abstracts, Compendex, BIOSIS, etc.

From Project Gutenberg