phys·i·ol·o·gy (f z  - l  -j)n. 1. The biological study of the functions of living organisms and their parts. 2. All the functions of a living organism or any of its parts. phys i·olo·gist n. |
physiology [ˌfɪzɪˈɒlədʒɪ]
n
1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Physiology) the branch of science concerned with the functioning of organisms
2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Physiology) the processes and functions of all or part of an organism
[from Latin physiologia, from Greek]
physiologist n
| physiology (fz-l-j) The scientific study of an organism's vital functions, including growth and development, the absorption and processing of nutrients, the synthesis and distribution of proteins and other organic molecules, and the functioning of different tissues, organs, and other anatomic structures. Physiology studies the normal mechanical, physical, and biochemical processes of animals and plants. |
physiology
1. the branch of medical science that studies the functions of living organisms or their parts.
2. the organic processes or functions of an organism or any of its parts. — physiologist, n. — physiologic, physiological, adj.
See also: Medical Specialties2. the organic processes or functions of an organism or any of its parts. — physiologist, n. — physiologic, physiological, adj.
the branch of biology that studies the functions and vital processes of living organisms. — physiologist, n. — physiologic, physiological, adj.
See also: Life
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  physiology - the branch of the biological sciences dealing with the functioning of organismsaccommodation - (physiology) the automatic adjustment in focal length of the natural lens of the eye adaptation - (physiology) the responsive adjustment of a sense organ (as the eye) to varying conditions (as of light) abduction - (physiology) moving of a body part away from the central axis of the body adduction - (physiology) moving of a body part toward the central axis of the body contraction, muscle contraction, muscular contraction - (physiology) a shortening or tensing of a part or organ (especially of a muscle or muscle fiber) control - (physiology) regulation or maintenance of a function or action or reflex etc; "the timing and control of his movements were unimpaired"; "he had lost control of his sphincters" antagonistic muscle - (physiology) a muscle that opposes the action of another; "the biceps and triceps are antagonistic muscles" humour, humor - (Middle Ages) one of the four fluids in the body whose balance was believed to determine your emotional and physical state; "the humors are blood and phlegm and yellow and black bile" sensitivity, sensitiveness, sensibility - (physiology) responsiveness to external stimuli; the faculty of sensation; "sensitivity to pain" localisation, localisation of function, localisation principle, localization of function, localization principle, localization - (physiology) the principle that specific functions have relatively circumscribed locations in some particular part or organ of the body biological science, biology - the science that studies living organisms neurophysiology - the branch of neuroscience that studies the physiology of the nervous system hemodynamics - the branch of physiology that studies the circulation of the blood and the forces involved kinesiology - the branch of physiology that studies the mechanics and anatomy in relation to human movement myology - the branch of physiology that studies muscles irradiation - (physiology) the spread of sensory neural impulses in the cortex cell death, necrobiosis - (physiology) the normal degeneration and death of living cells (as in various epithelial cells) acid-base balance, acid-base equilibrium - (physiology) the normal equilibrium between acids and alkalis in the body; "with a normal acid-base balance in the body the blood is slightly alkaline" autoregulation - (physiology) processes that maintain a generally constant physiological state in a cell or organism inhibition - (physiology) the process whereby nerves can retard or prevent the functioning of an organ or part; "the inhibition of the heart by the vagus nerve" nutrition - (physiology) the organic process of nourishing or being nourished; the processes by which an organism assimilates food and uses it for growth and maintenance relaxation - (physiology) the gradual lengthening of inactive muscle or muscle fibers stimulation - (physiology) the effect of a stimulus (on nerves or organs etc.) summation - (physiology) the process whereby multiple stimuli can produce a response (in a muscle or nerve or other part) that one stimulus alone does not produce homeostasis - (physiology) metabolic equilibrium actively maintained by several complex biological mechanisms that operate via the autonomic nervous system to offset disrupting changes innervate - stimulate to action; "innervate a muscle or a nerve" irritate - excite to some characteristic action or condition, such as motion, contraction, or nervous impulse, by the application of a stimulus; "irritate the glands of a leaf" abducent, abducting - especially of muscles; drawing away from the midline of the body or from an adjacent part adducent, adducting, adductive - especially of muscles; bringing together or drawing toward the midline of the body or toward an adjacent part afferent - of nerves and nerve impulses; conveying sensory information from the sense organs to the CNS; "afferent nerves"; "afferent impulses" efferent, motorial - of nerves and nerve impulses; conveying information away from the CNS; "efferent nerves and impulses" isometric - of or involving muscular contraction in which tension increases while length remains constant isotonic - of or involving muscular contraction in which tension is constant while length changes voluntary - controlled by individual volition; "voluntary motions"; "voluntary muscles" |
| 2. | physiology - processes and functions of an organism bodily property - an attribute of the body facilitate - increase the likelihood of (a response); "The stimulus facilitates a delayed impulse" |
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