biotic
Americanadjective
adjective
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of or relating to living organisms
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(of a factor in an ecosystem) produced by the action of living organisms Compare edaphic
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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.
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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.
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Compare abiotic
Etymology
Origin of biotic
1590–1600; < Greek biōtikós of, pertaining to life, equivalent to biō-, verbid stem of bioûn to live + -tikos -tic
Compare meaning
How does biotic compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
The prefix "bio-" refers to "life," and the suffix "-ic" means "like" and makes a word an adjective, so you can figure that biotic describes something lifelike, as in "Evolution is simply biotic adaptation." As with so many scientific terms, the word biotic derives from the Greek biotikos, meaning "pertaining to life." Any ecosystem consists of the biotic entities — the living organisms — along with their physical environment, and the study of that ecosystem centers on the impact of one element on the other. Pioneer ecologist Aldo Leopold once said, “A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.”
Vocabulary lists containing biotic
Words to Live By: Bio
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Ecology - Middle School
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Earth Science - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The event is referred to as the Great American Biotic Interchange, and it helped shape the present-day distributions of innumerable plants and animals on the American continents.
From Science Daily • Feb. 20, 2024
Biotic factors include animals, plants, mushrooms, and bacteria.
From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2018
Later, back in his bedroom, Josh defeats the final boss in his favorite game, Biotic Wars.
From The Verge • Nov. 13, 2017
His actions and those of Aron Kay - an American countercultural figure known as the Pieman who targeted Andy Warhol - inspired such groups as the Biotic Baking Brigade and "Al-Pieda".
From BBC • Jul. 20, 2011
Neotoma micropus occurs throughout the Tamaulipan Biotic Province and is represented in Tamaulipas by two subspecies, each of which has its type locality in the state.
From The Recent Mammals of Tamaulipas, Mexico by Alvarez, Ticul
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
