physiology

American  

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

noun

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

• physiologist noun

Etymology

Origin of physiology

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

Compare meaning

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

• physiology vs. biology

Example Sentences

The symposium included twelve specialists representing nutrition, food science, dietetics, nutrition metabolism and physiology, cardiovascular and cognitive health, gut health and microbiology, and both preclinical and clinical research models.

From Science Daily

“A lot of times what the public thinks is the best thing to do, is not, if you understand equine physiology and understand equine health and veterinary care,” she added.

From Los Angeles Times

"These sharks appear to have adapted their physiology to be able to optimize their energy use," she said.

From Science Daily

Since the mechanism was demonstrated using human skin cells, the findings are directly relevant to human physiology and may lead to new treatments for people with non healing wounds.

From Science Daily

"It's a kind of general physiology that we study for eight hours in a subject who's completely captive. It's very data rich."

From Science Daily