English Reference

Word

biometric

Phoneticsbio·met·ric

US/ˌbaɪəˈmɛtɹək/

UK/bˌaɪəʊmˈɛtɹɪk/

Definition

adj. relating to the physical or behavioral characteristics of a person, like their face, voice, or fingerprints. You use this to describe technology that identifies people based on these unique features.

adj. relating to the measurement and statistical analysis of people's physical and behavioral characteristics. Often used to describe security systems that authenticate identity through unique biological traits.

Examples

“The airport uses biometric scanners to check passengers in.”

“Modern smartphones often use biometric data, such as facial recognition or fingerprint scans, to unlock the device quickly and securely.”

“The integration of biometric data into national security systems has raised significant ethical concerns regarding privacy and the potential for mass surveillance.”

Examples

simple

“The airport uses biometric scanners to check passengers in.”

contextual

“Modern smartphones often use biometric data, such as facial recognition or fingerprint scans, to unlock the device quickly and securely.”

complex

“The integration of biometric data into national security systems has raised significant ethical concerns regarding privacy and the potential for mass surveillance.”

Real-World Examples

“People aged six and above would have their biometric data collected, with information - such as fingerprints - stored on the Eurodac database.”
BBC News · 18 Aug 2026
“UV requires the user to interact with the device, such as by performing an unlock operation (biometric, PIN, etc).”
Ars Technica · 11 Aug 2026

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference