biotechnology

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

noun

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.

biotechnology

/ ˌbaɪəʊˌtɛknəˈlɒdʒɪkəl, 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

biotechnology

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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of biotechnology¹

First recorded in 1940–45; bio- + technology

Example Sentences

According to the researchers, this achievement not only deepens our understanding of the biological and chemical foundations of animal coloration, but also highlights a powerful new biotechnology.

Read more on Science Daily

A clearer picture could eventually assist farmers and agricultural biotechnology companies that aim to leverage beneficial microbes.

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They expect policy-guided investment in strategically important sectors such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology and new energy.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The buyout of one biotechnology company can sometimes hurt the shares of its competitors, as investors may feel like they picked the wrong merger candidate.

Read more on MarketWatch

Its greatest advantage is the ability to track data without users having to do anything, said Park, who is currently a chemistry and biotechnology professor at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal