biochemical

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌbaɪ.oʊˈkem.ɪ.kəl/ UK /ˌbaɪ.əʊˈkem.ɪ.kəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #31314

Meanings

1

adj
relating to biochemistry or to the chemical substances and processes that occur in living organisms

Researchers measured the biochemical changes that occur when muscle cells are deprived of oxygen.
2

noun
a chemical substance produced by, obtained from, or acting within a living organism

The company extracts a useful biochemical from algae for use in medicines.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 noun · a chemical substance... biological chemicalbiomolecule

Opposites

abioticnonbiological

Word family

Derived forms abiochemicalautobiochemicalbiochemicallyclinicobiochemicalelectrobiochemicalgeobiochemicalglycobiochemicalhematobiochemicalimmunobiochemicalmechanobiochemicalmicrobiochemicalneurobiochemical

Related forms biochemistrybiochemistbiology chemistry

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

biochemical profile
a set of measurements describing chemical substances in a biological sample

Adjective + noun

Etymology

Formed in the nineteenth century, after German biochemisch, from bio- ("life; biology") + chemical. Bio- comes from Greek bios ("life"). Attested in English from 1840, the adjective originally meant "of or pertaining to the chemistry of life"; the noun denotes a chemical produced by or obtained from a living source.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# biochemical

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌbaɪ.oʊˈkem.ɪ.kəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌbaɪ.əʊˈkem.ɪ.kəl/
**Frequency rank:** 31314

## Meanings
1. relating to biochemistry or to the chemical substances and processes that occur in living organisms
2. a chemical substance produced by, obtained from, or acting within a living organism

## Examples
- Researchers measured the biochemical changes that occur when muscle cells are deprived of oxygen.
- The company extracts a useful biochemical from algae for use in medicines.

## Antonyms
- abiotic
- nonbiological

## Derived Forms
- abiochemical
- autobiochemical
- biochemically
- clinicobiochemical
- electrobiochemical
- geobiochemical
- glycobiochemical
- hematobiochemical
- immunobiochemical
- mechanobiochemical
- microbiochemical
- neurobiochemical

## Related Forms
- biochemistry
- biochemist
- biology
- chemistry

## Etymology
Formed in the nineteenth century, after German biochemisch, from bio- ("life; biology") + chemical. Bio- comes from Greek bios ("life"). Attested in English from 1840, the adjective originally meant "of or pertaining to the chemistry of life"; the noun denotes a chemical produced by or obtained from a living source.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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