metabolic

American  

[met-uh-bol-ik] / ˌmɛt əˈbɒl ɪk /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or affected by metabolism.

2. undergoing metamorphosis.

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Usage

What does metabolic mean? Metabolic describes something that is related to or is affected by metabolism, as in Dr. Petrov discovered the patient’s illness had metabolic causes.Your metabolism is the sum of the physical and chemical processes in your body needed to sustain life by producing energy. In humans, metabolism involves a large number of different organs and tissues. For this reason, the word metabolic is frequently used in medicine, nutrition, and other health sciences to discuss the digestive system, circulatory system, and other bodily processes.Example: While studying the birds, the researchers conducted intense studies of the animals’ metabolic rate increases during prolonged flights.

Other Word Forms

• hypermetabolic adjective
• metabolically adverb

Etymology

Origin of metabolic

First recorded in 1735–45; from Greek metabolikós “changeable,” from metabol(ḗ) “change” + -ikos -ic; metabolism

Example Sentences

A spokesperson for the rap star, 31, confirmed to The Times on Wednesday that the artist’s doctors “ultimately identified extreme exhaustion, dehydration, vasoconstriction and low metabolic levels as the cause of her symptoms.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

The firm noted that the FDA approval of Foundayo marked a significant milestone in the evolution of Lilly’s obesity and metabolic franchise.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

"In another child, the therapy completely suppressed metabolic crises that occurred almost monthly, while another patient no longer suffered from epileptic seizures."

From Science Daily • Mar. 31, 2026

In contrast, brown fat is present in smaller amounts and plays a specialized role in controlling body temperature and supporting metabolic health.

From Science Daily • Mar. 28, 2026

Every mutant, they noted, was missing a single metabolic function, corresponding to the activity of a single protein enzyme.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee