biotechnology

[ bahy-oh-tek-nol-uh-jee ]

/ ˌbaɪ oʊ tɛkˈnɒl ə dʒi /

Save This Word!

noun

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.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Compare human engineering.

Origin of biotechnology

First recorded in 1940–45; bio- + technology

OTHER WORDS FROM biotechnology

bi·o·tech·ni·cal

[bahy-oh-tek-ni-kuhl], /ˌbaɪ oʊˈtɛk nɪ kəl/, bi·o·tech·no·log·i·cal

[bahy-oh-tek-nl-oj-i-kuhl], /ˌbaɪ oʊˌtɛk nlˈɒdʒ ɪ kəl/, adjectivebi·o·tech·no·log·i·cal·ly, adverbbi·o·tech·nol·o·gist, noun

Words nearby biotechnology

biosynthesis, biosynthetic, biosystematics, biota, biotech, biotechnology, biotelemetry, bioterrorism, biotic, biotic factor, biotic potential

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use biotechnology in a sentence

If nature offers an easy way to transfer organelles between plants, biotechnology researchers can put it to work in creating desirable new crop species.
Plant Cells of Different Species Can Swap Organelles|Viviane Callier|January 20, 2021|Quanta Magazine
Learning to store and manipulate data using the same language as nature could also open the door to a host of new capabilities in biotechnology.
New Research Could Enable Direct Data Transfer From Computers to Living Cells|Edd Gent|January 11, 2021|Singularity Hub
The biotechnologies that made Covid-19 mRNA vaccines are here to stay.
Fighting Covid-19 Brought These Lasting Breakthroughs to Science and Medicine|Shelly Fan|December 29, 2020|Singularity Hub
Co-author Noemi Procopio has been interested in forensic science since she was 14, but initially studied biotechnology because her home country of Italy didn't have forensic science programs.
Scientists ID potential biomarkers to peg time of death for submerged corpses|Jennifer Ouellette|December 26, 2020|Ars Technica

The decision follows a thumbs-up vote from a panel of experts that convened on December 17 to discuss vaccine data that the biotechnology company had collected from its ongoing clinical trial.
How does the newly authorized Moderna COVID-19 vaccine compare to Pfizer’s?|Erin Garcia de Jesus|December 19, 2020|Science News
There have been two so far this year, including a biotechnology firm raising about $8 million.
America’s Start-Up Silver Lining|Daniel Gross|October 30, 2013|DAILY BEAST
She went on to get a Ph.D. in biotechnology from Cambridge in 2001.
Rebel With a Cause|Abigail Pesta|October 21, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Now they have their gaze fixed on biotechnology and videogames.
The G-20's New Balance of Power|Joel Kotkin|June 25, 2010|DAILY BEAST
But other scientists counter that basic skills in microbiology and biotechnology can get you a bioweapon.
The Coming Bioattack|Stephan Talty|June 5, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Much of our job growth will be found in high-skilled fields like health care and biotechnology.
Complete State of the Union Addresses from 1790 to 2006|Various

British Dictionary definitions for biotechnology

biotechnology

/ (ˌbaɪəʊtɛkˈnɒlədʒɪ) /

noun

(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

another name for ergonomics

Derived forms of biotechnology

biotechnological (ˌbaɪəʊˌtɛknəˈlɒdʒɪkəl), adjectivebiotechnologically, adverbbiotechnologist, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for biotechnology

biotechnology

[ bī′ō-tĕk-nŏl′ə-jē ]

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.

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. See more at genetic engineering.