Metabolism
noun /mɪˈtæb.ə.lɪ.z(ə)m/ — The body's chemical processes that sustain life
Definition
The set of chemical processes that occur within a living organism to maintain life — converting food to energy, synthesising new proteins, eliminating waste. Metabolism is the body's engine: invisible, continuous, fundamental.
Beyond the definition
Metabolism is life translated into chemistry — the body's constant invisible labour of maintaining itself. It is tireless, it is involuntary, and when it changes, you notice in ways that feel deeply personal.
Origin & history
Greek: metabolē (change, alternation). From meta- (over, beyond) + bolē (a throw, from ballein, to throw). The throw-and-catch of chemical transformation that constitutes biological life.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Her metabolism ran hot — she was always warm in rooms that froze everyone else.
Metabolism slows with age, which is why the same choices produce different results at different times.
The body's metabolism is the most sophisticated chemistry in the known universe.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Metabolism” when the meaning fits your context: The set of chemical processes that occur within a living organism to maintain life — converting food to energy, synthesising new proteins, eliminating waste. Metabolism is the body's engine: invisible, continuous, fundamental.
Synonyms
biochemical processes, energy conversion, body chemistry
Related words
Metabolism vs digestion
Metabolism includes all chemical processes to maintain life, including energy use. Digestion is specifically the breakdown of food into usable nutrients.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Continuous Cycles of Life
A tree shows bare twigs on one side and budding leaves on the other.
The tree displays a cycle of decay and growth occurring in one visual space. This represents metabolism—the invisible, continuous chemical processes that maintain life, balancing the breakdown of old materials with the synthesis of new, living tissue.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Metabolism" mean?
Metabolism is noun meaning: The body's chemical processes that sustain life. The set of chemical processes that occur within a living organism to maintain life — converting food to energy, synthesising new proteins, eliminating waste. Metabolism is the body's engine: invisible, continuous, fundamental.
Where does the word "Metabolism" come from?
Greek: metabolē (change, alternation). From meta- (over, beyond) + bolē (a throw, from ballein, to throw). The throw-and-catch of chemical transformation that constitutes biological life.