Word
biomass
US/ˈbaɪəmæs/
UK/bˌaɪəʊmˈæs/
Definitions
01organic fuel
n. plant or animal material used as a source of fuel to produce heat or electricity.
n. organic matter, especially plant-based material, processed for use as a biofuel or renewable energy source.
“The power plant burns biomass like wood chips to create electricity for the town.”
“The transition to biomass energy has sparked debate regarding the sustainability of large-scale wood pellet production for international export.”
Technical
Usage
Uncountable in this context.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02total biological mass
n. the total weight of all living things in a specific area or environment.
n. the total quantity or weight of organisms in a given area or volume.
“Scientists measured the biomass of fish in the coral reef to check its health.”
“Ecologists noted a significant decline in insect biomass over the last decade, suggesting a potential collapse in the local food web.”
Technical
Usage
Usually uncountable, though it can be used countably when comparing different types of biological matter.
Teaching tip
This sense is common in ecology and environmental science to discuss the health of an ecosystem.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“That loss of light can affect single-celled organisms such as algae, which need sunlight to produce biomass and oxygen.” “Other, larger animals show up to eat them, converting at least some of their biomass back into poop.” “In the tropical Atlantic and western Pacific, blooms increased by 13.4 percent annually, with the sharpest rise in biomass beginning after 2008.” “The Ocean Race Sargassum biomass has attracted growing interest as a renewable feedstock for biofuel production .” Etymology
From bio- (prefix denoting organic life) + mass (“matter, material”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/biomass