physiology

American  

[fiz-ee-ol-uh-jee] / ˌfɪz iˈɒl ə dʒi /

noun

• physiologies
  plural

1. 

   the branch of biology dealing with the functions and activities of living organisms and their parts, including all physical and chemical processes.

2. the organic processes or functions in an organism or in any of its parts.

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physiology British  

/ ˌfɪzɪˈɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. the branch of science concerned with the functioning of organisms

2. the processes and functions of all or part of an organism

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physiology Scientific  

/ fĭz′ē-ŏl′ə-jē /

1. The scientific study of an organism's vital functions, including growth and development, the absorption and processing of nutrients, the synthesis and distribution of proteins and other organic molecules, and the functioning of different tissues, organs, and other anatomic structures. Physiology studies the normal mechanical, physical, and biochemical processes of animals and plants.

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physiology Cultural  

1. The study of the function of living things, including processes such as nutrition, movement, and reproduction. (Compare anatomy and morphology.)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• physiologist
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• physiologies
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of physiology

First recorded in 1555–65; from Latin physiologia, from Greek physiología “science of natural causes and phenomena”; see physio-, -logy

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Compare meaning

How does physiology compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• physiology vs. biology

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Explanation

Physiology is the branch of biology that deals with the functions and processes of living organisms, both animals and plants. It's biology in motion. Physiology includes everything from how a single cell functions, to what makes your nerve receptors work, how your pancreas releases insulin, and what happens to your muscles when you exercise. Technology has made for great leaps in the science of physiology. The electron microscope, for instance, allows you to see down to even the molecules of the cell, and radioactive isotopes provide the means to track the movement of substances within an organism.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

physiology physiologies

An entomologist says: Immo A. Hansen, a medical entomologist at New Mexico State University who studies the physiology of mosquitoes, has very definite opinions about mosquito repellent patches.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

“Plants naturally give us visible information about their physiology in a number of ways—wilting, for example,” says Alexander Jones, a professor at the University of Cambridge who focuses on plant biology.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

“This is a sort of very direct way of getting at their physiology that’s not been possible before.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

"What we want to see is whether some of the pharmacological impact on human physiology that has been observed in obese patients would also occur in non-obese, highly trained people."

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

The facts cited above are by-products of research in cell physiology or genetics.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

People have different physiologies, exercise regimes and injury histories which might dictate not only level of cushioning, but also support, stability and heel-to-toe drop of the shoe.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026

“Along the way, he helps audiences understand their own physiologies and how to improve their overall performance, health and well-being.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 2, 2025

He and colleagues have established a lab colony of the Llullaillaco rodents and other high-altitude mice in Chile to study their unique physiologies.

From Science Magazine ● Oct. 23, 2023

As a collective group, protists display an astounding diversity of morphologies, physiologies, and ecologies.

From Textbooks ● Apr. 25, 2013

And we can, on occasion, deliberately alter some of these genes to change their functions, thereby resulting in altered human states, altered physiologies, and changed beings.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

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