bio
noun
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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-.
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.
“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
“She has always envisioned creating a sanctuary for horses and all creatures, providing them with a safe haven filled with love and care,” her bio says.
From Los Angeles Times • May 9, 2026
Alongside a shirtless profile photo, he describes himself in his bio as a father and "Fayetteville NC based real estate investor".
From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026
OpenAI was adamant that it built its strongest safeguards to date into GPT-5.5 "to reduce misuse, especially for bio and cyber capabilities."
From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026
Aside from breakdancing, pretty much nothing had changed except that Ocean was suddenly different around me in bio.
From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi
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.
