biome
[ bahy-ohm ]
/ ˈbaɪ oʊm /
noun Ecology.
a complex biotic community characterized by distinctive plant and animal species and maintained under the climatic conditions of the region, especially such a community that has developed to climax.
Nearby words
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for biome
biome
/ (ˈbaɪˌəʊm) /
noun
a major ecological community, extending over a large area and usually characterized by a dominant vegetationSee formation (def. 6)
Word Origin for biome
C20: from bio- + -ome
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Word Origin and History for biome
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for biome
biome
[ bī′ōm′ ]
n.
The total complex of biotic communities occupying and characterizing a particular area or zone, such as a desert or deciduous forest.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Science definitions for biome
biome
[ bī′ōm′ ]
A large community of plants and animals that occupies a distinct region. Terrestrial biomes, typically defined by their climate and dominant vegetation, include grassland, tundra, desert, tropical rainforest, and deciduous and coniferous forests. There are two basic aquatic biomes, freshwater and marine, which are sometimes further broken down into categories such as lakes and rivers or pelagic, benthic, and intertidal zones.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.