English Reference
Adjective

biochemical

adj.
C1 Advanced US /ˌbaɪoʊˈkɛməkəɫ/ UK /bˌaɪəʊkˈɛmɪkəl/ bio·chem·i·cal UK spelling biochemicals

adj.relating to the chemical processes that happen inside living things, like plants, animals, and humans.

adj.relating to the chemical substances and processes that occur within biological organisms. Often used to describe physiological reactions or the molecular basis of life.


SIMPLE

The body uses biochemical reactions to turn food into energy.

CONTEXTUAL

Researchers are studying the biochemical changes that occur in the brain during deep sleep cycles.

COMPLEX

The drug works by blocking specific biochemical pathways that lead to inflammation, providing relief for patients with chronic autoimmune conditions without affecting the entire immune system.

Usage

Typically used attributively before a noun; frequently collocates with 'process', 'reaction', or 'pathway'.

The team ran biochemical tests on saliva, hair and dander samples from the gene-edited dogs, a normal beagle, a standard poodle and a goldendoodle to directly detect the allergen protein.

Phys.org· 16 Aug 2026

Secondly, the interval between death and sample receipt varied considerably, introducing the possibility that delays may have affected the accuracy of the biochemical measurements," they say.

ScienceDaily· 15 Aug 2026

Common in science writing


From bio- + chemical.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated