metabolism
Americannoun
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Biology, Physiology. the sum of the physical and chemical processes in an organism by which its material substance is produced, maintained, and destroyed, and by which energy is made available.
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any basic process of organic functioning or operating.
changes in the country's economic metabolism.
noun
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the sum total of the chemical processes that occur in living organisms, resulting in growth, production of energy, elimination of waste material, etc See anabolism basal metabolism catabolism
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the sum total of the chemical processes affecting a particular substance in the body
carbohydrate metabolism
iodine metabolism
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The chemical processes by which cells produce the substances and energy needed to sustain life. As part of metabolism, organic compounds are broken down to provide heat and energy in the process called catabolism. Simpler molecules are also used to build more complex compounds like proteins for growth and repair of tissues as part of anabolism. Many metabolic processes are brought about by the action of enzymes. The overall speed at which an organism carries out its metabolic processes is termed its metabolic rate (or, when the organism is at rest, its basal metabolic rate). Birds, for example, have a high metabolic rate, since they are warm-blooded, and their usual method of locomotion, flight, requires large amounts of energy. Accordingly, birds usually need large amounts of high-quality, energy-rich foods such as seeds or meat, which they must eat frequently.
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See more at cellular respiration
Discover More
In humans, metabolism is related to the intake and use of food; persons with a high metabolism can eat more without gaining weight.
Other Word Forms
- hypermetabolism noun
- metabolic adjective
- metabolically adverb
Etymology
Origin of metabolism
First recorded in 1875–80; from Greek metabol(ḗ) “change” (from meta- meta- + bolḗ “a throw”) + -ism
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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.
In animal models, it improved energy metabolism and extended lifespan.
From Science Daily • Mar. 31, 2026
Their analysis showed that miR-93 drives fat buildup, inflammation, and scarring in the liver by suppressing SIRT1, a gene that plays a key role in managing fat metabolism inside liver cells.
From Science Daily • Mar. 24, 2026
She wrote a letter to Kennedy in November urging the FDA to use enforcement discretion for certain peptides that she said were “critical to processes” such as metabolism, immune response and tissue repair.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026
Companies like Swiss company Roche Holding see an opportunity to re-enter the market, Manu Chakravarthy, Roche’s global head of cardiovascular, renal and metabolism product development, said in an interview.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026
This material is processed by a superefficient metabolism, stripped of any useful minerals and...ejected at the other end, as it were.
From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer
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.
