biotic

[bahy-ot-ik]

See more synonyms for biotic on Thesaurus.com

adjective

pertaining to life.

Also bi·ot·i·cal.

Origin of biotic

1590–1600; < Greek biōtikós of, pertaining to life, equivalent to biō-, verbid stem of bioûn to live + -tikos -tic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for biotic

biological, nuclear, prime, living, primitive, necessary, integral, constitutional, primary, original, fundamental, essential, principal, anatomical, animate, basal, elemental, inherent, innate, live

Examples from the Web for biotic

Historical Examples of biotic

The Tropical barrier separates the Tamaulipan and Veracruzian biotic provinces.
The Recent Mammals of Tamaulipas, Mexico
Ticul Alvarez
Being euryphagous, crows exert a stabilizing influence on many kinds of prey and on the biotic community as a whole.
Food of the Crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos Brehm, in South-central Kansas
Dwight Platt
The major part of this biotic area lies within the Lower Sonoran Life-zone.
Birds from Coahuila, Mexico
Emil K. Urban
These birds are widely distributed and vary geographically without corresponding to the Biotic Provinces.
Birds from Coahuila, Mexico
Emil K. Urban
Biotic relations of the wood rat (Neotoma fuscipes) in the Berkeley Hills.
American Weasels
E. Raymond Hall

British Dictionary definitions for biotic

biotic

adjective

of or relating to living organisms
(of a factor in an ecosystem) produced by the action of living organismsCompare edaphic

Word Origin for biotic

C17: from Greek biotikos, from bios life

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

Word Origin and History for biotic

adj.

"pertaining to life," 1847, in the medical sense, from Latin bioticus, from Greek biotikos "pertaining to life," from bios "life" (see bio-). Biotic factor was in use by 1907. Related: Biotical.

biotic in Medicine

biotic

[bī-ŏt′ĭk]

adj.

Relating to life or living organisms.
Produced or caused by living organisms.

biotic in Science

biotic

[bī-ŏt′ĭk]

Consisting of living organisms. An ecosystem is made up of a biotic community (all of the naturally occurring organisms within the system) together with the physical environment.
Associated with or derived from living organisms. The biotic factors in an environment include the organisms themselves as well as such items as predation, competition for food resources, and symbiotic relationships. Compare abiotic.