Ancient Greek word root · Life & Nature

bio-: life

bio- is an Ancient Greek root meaning “life”. Learn its variants and explore 12 connected words.

Meaning and variants

Meaning: life

Root forms: bio-, bi-

Source word: βίος — life (often with a positive connotation: the good life)

Word family and examples

• biology

  the study of living organisms

• biography

  an account of a person's life written by someone else

• antibiotic

  a medicine that inhibits the growth of or destroys microorganisms

• biotech

  Biotechnology.

• bionic

  Related to bionics.

• biosphere

  The part of the Earth and its atmosphere capable of supporting life.

• symbiosis

  interaction between two different organisms living in close association

• biotic

  Of, pertaining to, or produced by life or living organisms.

• biofilm

  A structured community of microorganisms, such as bacteria, that adhere to a surface and are embedded in a self-produced protective matrix of mucuslike extracellular material.

• biochem

  Biochemistry (science or industry).

• biogenesis

  The principle that living organisms are produced only from other living organisms.

• biotechnological

  Of or pertaining to biotechnology.

Root connections help with vocabulary recall. They are not a complete etymological history, and a spelling match alone does not prove a relationship.

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