Bio Words referring to “life” :
“necrobiosis” to “stenobiontic”
Part 19 of 20
bio-, bi-, -bia, -bial, -bian, -bion, -biont, -bius, -biosis, -bium, -biotic, -biotical, -biotic (Greek: life; living, live, alive).
Don’t confuse this element with another bi- that means “two”.
If you would like to take a self-scoring quiz over some of the words in this section, then click
Bio-Quiz so you can see how much you know about the following
“bio” words.
necrobiosis, necrobiotic:
1. The process of decay or death in tissues of the body; the gradual degeneration and death of a part through suspended or imperfect nutrition; an instance of this.
2. Physiologic or normal death of cells or tissues as a result of changes associated with development, aging, or use.
neobiogenesis:
The theory that life can originate from nonliving matter.
neurobiology:
The biology of the nervous system.
neurobiotaxis:
The theory that nerve cell bodies may move toward, or their axons may grow toward, the area from which they receive the most stimuli.
orthobiosis:
A rarely used term for correct living, both hygienically and morally.
otobiosis:
The presence of larvae and the characteristic spiny nymphs of Otobius megnini in the external auditory canal of cattle, horses, cats, dogs, deer, coyotes, and other domestic and wild animals; they may remain in the ear for several months before dropping out to pupate and mature. Several records of human infection are known.
paleobiologist:
One who studies or is a specialist in the science of extinct plants, animals, and micro-organisms.
paleobiology:
The study of the biology of extinct plants, animals, and micro-organisms.
parabiosis, parabiotic:
1. Fusion of whole eggs or embryos, as occurs in conjoined twins.
2. Surgical joining of the vascular systems of two organisms.
3. Either the condition of living together, applied variously to mixtures of species of similar habit as man and the rat or to the union of two individual animals; or the condition of symbiosis between two species of ant in which colonies of neighboring nests are contiguous but do not mingle.
parasymbiosis:
When one symbiont damages another. It is similar to parasitism.
pathobiology:
Pathology with emphasis more on the biological than on the medical aspects.
petrobiont, petrobiontic:
Living on or among rocks or stones.
photobiology:
The study of the effects of light on living things.
photobiotic:
Living or flourishing only (exclusively) in light.
phycobiont:
The algal component of a lichen; any alga that is associated with a fungus to form a lichen.
phylacobiosis:
A friendly association between ants and termites.
phyllobiology:
The study of leaves.
phytobiology:
The biology of plants.
probiosis, probiotic:
An association of two organisms that enhances the life processes of both.
psammobiontic:
Living in sand; living interstitially between or attached to sand particles.
psychobiology:
The study of the interrelationships of biology and psychology in cognitive functioning, including intellectual, memory, and related neurocognitive processes.
radiobiology:
The study of the biological effects of ionizing radiation upon living tissue.
saprobiont, saprobiontic:
Feeding on dead or decaying organic matter.
sociobiologist:
A specialist in sociobiology.
sociobiology:
The study of the biological and genetic basis of social organization and social behavior and their evolution in animals, a field of study that has caused controversy when applied to human social behavior and organization.
stenobiontic:
A reference to an organism requiring a stable uniform habitat.
You may take a self-scoring quiz over some of the words in this section by just clicking on
Bio Quiz #6 to check your word knowledge.