Physiology
noun /ˌfɪz.iˈɒl.ə.dʒi/ — The study of how the body and its parts function.
Definition
The branch of biology concerned with the normal functioning of living organisms and their parts — how organs, tissues, and cells carry out their roles. Where anatomy asks 'what is there?', physiology asks 'what does it do?'.
Beyond the definition
Physiology is the body's autobiography — the story of what it does, every moment, without asking permission. Breathing, digesting, regulating: all of it proceeding without your awareness.
Origin & history
From Greek 'physiologia' (natural philosophy); from 'physis' (nature, growth) + 'logos' (study).
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Exercise physiology explains why recovery is as important as training — the adaptation happens in the rest, not the work.
The physiology of grief includes actual physical symptoms — the broken heart is partly broken physiology.
She understood the physiology of anxiety intellectually; that understanding did almost nothing for the anxiety itself.
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 “Physiology” when the meaning fits your context: The branch of biology concerned with the normal functioning of living organisms and their parts — how organs, tissues, and cells carry out their roles. Where anatomy asks 'what is there?', physiology asks 'what does it do?'.
Synonyms
body function, biological function, organic processes
Related words
Physiology vs anatomy
Anatomy focuses on the structure of body parts. Physiology explains how those parts function and work together to sustain life.
Compare this word
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
Conceptualizing Bodily Systems
An adult runner moves across a path, with semi-transparent overlays showing leg muscles, heart, and lungs.
By illustrating the active movement of a runner combined with visual representations of muscles, heart, and lungs, this scene focuses on the physiological functions that enable physical activity, rather than merely showing static anatomy.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Physiology" mean?
Physiology is noun meaning: The study of how the body and its parts function.. The branch of biology concerned with the normal functioning of living organisms and their parts — how organs, tissues, and cells carry out their roles. Where anatomy asks 'what is there?', physiology asks 'what does it do?'.
Where does the word "Physiology" come from?
From Greek 'physiologia' (natural philosophy); from 'physis' (nature, growth) + 'logos' (study).