Bio- | Meaning Of Prefix Bio- By Etymonline

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Origin and history of bio-

bio-

word-forming element, especially in scientific compounds, meaning "life, life and," or "biology, biology and," or "biological, of or pertaining to living organisms or their constituents," from Greek bios "one's life, course or way of living, lifetime" (as opposed to zōē "animal life, organic life"), from PIE root *gwei- "to live."

The correct usage is that in biography, but since c. 1800 in modern science it has been extended to mean "organic life," as zoo-, the better choice, is restricted in modern use to animal, as opposed to plant, life. Both are from the same PIE root. Compare biology. In the New Testament bios means "period or duration of life, means of life, manner of life."

Entries linking to bio-

biography(n.)

1680s, "the histories of individual lives, as a branch of literature," probably from Medieval Latin biographia, from later Greek biographia "description of life" (which was not in classical Greek, bios alone being the word there for it), from Greek bios "life" (from PIE root *gwei- "to live") + graphia "record, account" (see -graphy).

The meaning "a history of some one person's life" is from 1791. The meaning "life course of any living being" is by 1854. No one-word verb form has become common; biographise/biographize (1800), biography (1844), biograph (1849) have been tried.

biology(n.)

"the science of life and living things," 1819, from Greek bios "life, one's life, lifetime" (from PIE root *gwei- "to live;" see bio-) + -logy "study of." The compound was suggested 1802 by German naturalist Gottfried Reinhold Treviranus, and introduced as a scientific term that year in French by Lamarck; the two seem to have hit upon the word independently.

• bio
• biocentric
• biochemical
• biochemist
• biochemistry
• biocide
• bioclimatology
• biodegradable
• biodiesel
• biodiversity
• bioethics
• biofeedback
• biofuel
• biogen
• biogenic
• biogeny
• biogeography
• biohazard
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biogenesisalso bio-genesis, 1870, "theory that living organisms arise only from the agency of pre-existing living organisms" (as opposed...dub"give a name to," originally "make a knight," from late Old English dubbian "knight by ceremonially striking with a sword" (11c.), a word perhaps borrowed from Old French aduber "equip with arms, adorn" (11c.) which is of uncertain origin, probably Germanic, but there are phonetiVikingScandinavian pirate, 1801, vikingr, in "The History of the Anglo-Saxons" by English historian Sharon H. Turner; he suggested the second element might be connected to king: But this later was dismissed as incorrect. The form viking is attested in 1820, in Jamieson's notes to "The commissionmid-14c., "authority entrusted to someone, delegated authority or power," from Old French commission and directly from Latin commissionem (nominative commissio) "act of committing," in Medieval Latin "delegation of business," noun of action from past participle stem of committeretrousers"garment for men, covering the lower body and each leg separately," 1610s, earlier trouzes (1580s), extended from trouse (1570s), with plural ending typical of things in pairs, from Gaelic or Middle Irish triubhas "close-fitting shorts," of uncertain origin. Early recorded use ofgroomc. 1200 (late 12c. in surnames), grome "male child, boy;" c. 1300, "a youth, young man," also "male servant, attendant, minor officer in a royal or noble household ranking higher than a page; a knight's squire." A word of unknown origin with no certain cognates in other Germanic deputyc. 1400, "subordinate officer, one given the full power of an officer without holding the office," from Anglo-French deputé, noun use of past-participle of Old French députer "appoint, assign" (14c.), from Late Latin deputare "to destine, allot," in classical Latin "to esteem, copython1580s, name of a fabled serpent, slain by Apollo near Delphi, from Latin Python, from Greek Pythōn "serpent slain by Apollo," probably related to Pythō, the old name of Delphi. Chaucer has it (late 14c.) as Phitoun. This might be related to pythein "to rot," or from PIE *dhubh-(omentor"wise adviser, intimate friend who also is a sage counselor," especially to one who is young or inexperienced, 1750, from Greek Mentor, in the Odyssey" the name of the friend of Odysseus and adviser of Telemachus (but often actually Athene appearing in disguise). The name perhapssalmonearly 13c., samoun, the North Atlantic salmon, from Anglo-French samoun, Old French salmun (Modern French saumon), from Latin salmonem (nominative salmo) "a salmon," probably originally "leaper," from salire "to leap" (see salient (adj.)), though some dismiss this as folk etymolo

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‘cite’Page URL:https://www.etymonline.com/word/bio-CopyHTML Link:<a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/bio-">Etymology of bio- by etymonline</a>CopyAPA Style:Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of bio-. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved March 9, 2026, from https://www.etymonline.com/word/bio-CopyChicago Style:Harper Douglas, "Etymology of bio-," Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed March 9, 2026, https://www.etymonline.com/word/bio-.CopyMLA Style:Harper, Douglas. "Etymology of bio-." Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/bio-. Accessed 9 March, 2026.CopyIEEE Style:D. Harper. "Etymology of bio-." Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/bio- (accessed March 9, 2026).CopyRemove AdsAdvertisement

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TrendingDictionary entries near bio-

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