metabolism
noun/məˈtæbəlɪzəm/
/məˈtæbəlɪzəm/
[uncountable, countable] (biology)- the chemical processes in living things that change food, etc. into energy and materials for growth
- The body's metabolism is slowed down by extreme cold.
Word Originlate 19th cent.: from Greek metabolē ‘change’ (from metaballein ‘to change’) + -ism.Definitions on the go
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metabolism