metabolism

From Ancient Greek μεταβολή (metabolḗ, “change”) +‎ -ism, from μεταβάλλω (metabállō, “I change, I alter”) +‎ -η (-ē, “action noun suffix”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /mɪˈtab.ə.lɪz.əm/, [mɪˈtab.ə.lɪz.m̩]

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /məˈtæb.əˌlɪz.əm/, [məˈtæb.əˌlɪz.m̩]
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /mɪˈtæb.ə.lɪz.əm/, [mɪˈtæb.ə.lɪz.m̩]

metabolism (countable and uncountable, plural metabolisms)

1. (physiology) The chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life.

   Hyponyms: anabolism, catabolism

   The metabolisms of aerobic bacteria require oxygen

2. (physiology, by extension) The rate at which these processes occur for a given organism

   Small animals have a much higher metabolism than large animals because they lose more body heat

3. (figurative, by extension) The processes that maintain any dynamic system.
   • 1980, Alvin Toffler, The Third Wave, page 230:

     The results of this generalized speedup of the corporate metabolism are multiple: shorter product life cycles, more leasing and renting, more frequent buying and selling, more ephemeral consumption patterns, […]

Borrowed from French métabolisme.

metabolism n (uncountable)

1. metabolism

metabolism c

1. metabolism

   Synonym: ämnesomsättning

• metabolism in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• metabolism in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)