biochemistry

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gʷeyh₃-der. Ancient Greek βῐ́ος (bĭ́os) Ancient Greek βῐο- (bĭo-)der. English bio- Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰew- Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Ancient Greek -μᾰ (-mă) Ancient Greek χῠ́μᾰ (khŭ́mă) Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh₂ Proto-Hellenic *-íā Ancient Greek -ία (-ía) Ancient Greek χυμείᾱ (khumeíā)bor. Arabic الْكِيمِيَاء (al-kīmiyāʔ)bor. Medieval Latin alchēmia ▲ Ancient Greek χυμείᾱ (khumeíā)influ. New Latin chimiabor. Middle French chymie French chimie Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Hellenic *-tās Ancient Greek -τής (-tḗs) Ancient Greek -ῐστής (-ĭstḗs)bor. Latin -istabor. French -iste French chimistebor. English chemist Middle English -re,-ri,-rie,-ry,-rye English -ry English chemistry English biochemistry From bio- + chemistry.

1. The chemistry of those compounds that occur in living organisms, and the processes that occur in their metabolism and catabolism; the study of such chemistry.

   “My aunt has a degree in biochemistry.”

2. The chemical characteristics of a particular living organism.

   “The biochemistries of fungal and bacterial cells are quite distinct.”

   “They [viruses] use more varied biochemistry than cellular life, storing their genetic information as both single- and double-stranded DNA as well as RNA.”

3. The biochemical activity associated with a particular chemical or condition.

   “Our study compared the biochemistries of epilepsy and Parkinson's.”

   “The biochemistry of NO differs from that of NO₂.”