biomedical (adj.)

also bio-medical, "pertaining to both biology and medicine," 1961, from bio- + medical (adj.).

Entries linking to biomedical

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 zoe "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.

medical (adj.)

"pertaining or relating to the art or profession of healing or those who practice it," 1640s, from French médical, from Late Latin medicalis "of a physician," from Latin medicus "physician, surgeon, medical man" (n.); "healing, medicinal" (adj.), from medeor "to cure, heal," originally "know the best course for," from an early specialization of PIE root *med- "take appropriate measures" (source also of Avestan vi-mad- "physician"). "The meaning of medeor is based on a semantic shift from 'measure' to 'distribute a cure, heal'" [de Vaan]. The earlier adjective in English in this sense was medicinal. Related: Medically.

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updated on June 01, 2017

Definitions of biomedical from WordNet

biomedical (adj.)

relating to the activities and applications of science to clinical medicine;

biomedical research laboratory

From wordnet.princeton.edu, not affiliated with etymonline.

Dictionary entries near biomedical

biolysis

biomagnetism

biomass

biome

biomechanics

biomedical

biometric

biometrics

biometry

biomorph

biomorphic