biological
Americanadjective
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Biology. Also biologic relating to the science and application of biology.
Ideal candidates will have appropriate training in both physical and biological chemistry.
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Biology. relating to or involving living matter.
Liquid nitrogen is critical for preserving blood, tissue, and other biological specimens.
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Biology. relating to the living organisms of a region.
We are hoping to manage the river valley so that we maintain and enhance the current level of biological diversity.
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Biology, Genetics. related genetically, as a birth parent whose egg or sperm contributed to the DNA of a child.
He met his biological father when he was 37.
The Greenes have two biological sons and one adopted daughter.
noun
adjective
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of or relating to biology
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(of a detergent) containing enzymes said to be capable of removing stains of organic origin from items to be washed
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of biological
Explanation
When you use the word biological, you're talking about life and living things. You'll recognize the root "bio-," meaning "life," as in biography — the story of someone's life — and biology — the study of living organisms. The woman who gave birth to you is your biological mother — she's passed her genes on to you and you're related to her, even if somebody else raised you. Anybody you share genes with is your biological relative. Biological cleaning products make use of natural enzymes, and they're supposed to be safe and non-toxic. On the other hand, biological warfare uses bacteria, viruses, and other naturally occurring poisons to injure and kill people.
Vocabulary lists containing biological
It's All in the Family
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Unit 3: Compelling Evidence
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The Double Helix
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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.
They came to us fragile and old, and our nurturing turned back their biological clocks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
Scientists have previously studied resilin because it behaves almost like a perfect biological rubber.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 27, 2026
Her enslaver, Philemon T. Hambleton—who may well have been her biological father—refused to release her from servitude.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
He was jailed after an attempt to flee communist Germany but later made his way to West Germany where, following his medical studies, he invented the process to preserve biological specimens in 1977.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
Like everyone else, I turn the corner on occasion and set my biological age back substantially—but like many scythes, I don’t set it back past the age of forty.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
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.
