metabolism

UK: /mɪˈtæbəlɪz^əm/ US: /məˈtæbəˌlɪzəm/ ,(mə tab′ə liz′əm)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

me•tab•o•lism /məˈtæbəˌlɪzəm/   n. 

1. Physiology the physical and chemical processes in a living body by which it is produced and maintained:
   [uncountable] studying the metabolism of dolphins.
   [countable] He has a very active metabolism.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

me•tab•o•lism  (mə tab′ə liz′əm), n. 

1. Physiology [Biol., Physiol.] the sum of the physical and chemical processes in an organism by which its material substance is produced, maintained, and destroyed, and by which energy is made available. Cf. anabolism, catabolism. 
2. any basic process of organic functioning or operating:
   changes in the country's economic metabolism.

• Greek metabol(é̄) change (meta- meta- + bolé̄ a throw) + -ism
• 1875–80

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

metabolism / mɪˈtæbəˌlɪzəm/ noun

1. the sum total of the chemical processes that occur in living organisms, resulting in growth, production of energy, elimination of waste material, etc
   See anabolism, basal metabolism, catabolism
2. the sum total of the chemical processes affecting a particular substance in the body: carbohydrate metabolism, iodine metabolism

Etymology: 19th Century: from Greek metabolē change, from metaballein to change, from meta- + ballein to throw

metabolic / ˌmɛtəˈbɒlɪk/ adjective

ˌmetaˈbolically adverb