biotechnology

American  

[bahy-oh-tek-nol-uh-jee] / ˌbaɪ oʊ tɛkˈnɒl ə dʒi /

noun

• biotechnologies
  plural

1. the use of living organisms or other biological systems in the manufacture of drugs or other products or for environmental management, as in waste recycling: includes the use of bioreactors in manufacturing, microorganisms to degrade oil slicks or organic waste, genetically engineered bacteria to produce human hormones, and monoclonal antibodies to identify antigens.

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biotechnology British  

/ ˌbaɪəʊtɛkˈnɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. (in industry) the technique of using microorganisms, such as bacteria, to perform chemical processing, such as waste recycling, or to produce other materials, such as beer and wine, cheese, antibiotics, and (using genetic engineering) hormones, vaccines, etc

2. another name for ergonomics

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biotechnology Scientific  

/ bī′ō-tĕk-nŏl′ə-jē /

1. The use of a living organism to solve an engineering problem or perform an industrial task. Using bacteria that feed on hydrocarbons to clean up an oil spill is one example of biotechnology.

2. The use of biological substances or techniques to engineer or manufacture a product or substance, as when cells that produce antibodies are cloned in order to study their effects on cancer cells.

3. See more at genetic engineering

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• biotechnologist
  noun
• biotechnical
  adjective
• biotechnological
  adjective
• biotechnologically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• biotechnologies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of biotechnology

First recorded in 1940–45; bio- + technology

Explanation

Biotechnology may sound like the stuff of science fiction, but it's a real area of science that deals with the overlap of engineering and biology. The Greek root bio- means "life," so biotechnology is "life technology" — technology that uses living things in products or processes, or that which focuses on designing things to benefit humans (living things) biologically. Vaccines, genetically modified foods, biofuels, and DNA fingerprinting are all examples of biotechnology. Ergonomics — designing equipment that reduces workers' discomfort, stress, or fatigue — is also often considered a branch of biotechnology, as it's technology developed to make our lives better from a biological perspective.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

biotechnology biotechnologies

The effort brings together sustainability, biotechnology, materials science, data science, and artificial intelligence.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026

Because some DNA sequences can be programmed to interact more strongly than others, scientists may eventually be able to take advantage of these properties to build customized DNA structures for biotechnology.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 10, 2026

The biotechnology company tumbled 10%, its biggest one-day decline in more than 25 years, after a competitor’s heart disease drug failed a clinical trial, casting doubt on similar drugs under development.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

Today, however, Shanghai is emerging as a favored destination for patients from America and other rich countries—a testament not only to China’s low costs but also to the country’s emergence as an innovator in biotechnology.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026

The story went on to say, “The federal government is permitting a California biotechnology company to license three experimental cancer drugs from Cuba—making an exception to the policy of tightly restricting trade with that country.”

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman

We’re joined by a preeminent expert on matters of law, medicine, reproductive health, and biotechnologies, Dr. Michele Goodwin.

From Slate ● Mar. 2, 2024

The ability to create new biotechnologies is becoming increasingly important for tackling global challenges spanning the sustainable production of chemicals, materials and food, to advanced therapeutics to combat emerging diseases.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 21, 2024

To better protect its relatively open market, the European Commission wants the member states to immediately carry out risk assessments of its most sensitive industries, including advanced semiconductor, artificial intelligence, quantum and biotechnologies.

From Washington Times ● Oct. 3, 2023

Or we can reject our new biotechnologies and risk losing everything that we claim to protect.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 5, 2021

Working with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, they helped steer money into COVID-19 vaccine candidates and biotechnologies that could be quickly manufactured and suitable for the developing world.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 23, 2020