metabolism
/mɪˈtab.ə.lɪz.əm/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: metabolisms
Sense 1
Meaning · English
The chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life.
Noun
Examples
The metabolisms of aerobic bacteria require oxygen
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
The rate at which these processes occur for a given organism
Noun
Examples
Small animals have a much higher metabolism than large animals because they lose more body heat
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “metabolism” mean?
The chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life.
Is “metabolism” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.