# biotic

/baɪˈɒtɪk/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/biotic
Updated: 2026-10-14

## Definition

relating to living things in nature, such as plants, animals, and microbes. You use it to talk about parts of an environment that are alive or come from living things.

For teachers: relating to living organisms or the effects of their activity within an ecosystem. Frequently contrasted with abiotic, which covers non-living physical factors such as light, water, and temperature.

## Examples

- Trees and birds are biotic parts of the forest.
- The pond study lists fish and algae as biotic factors that shape water quality.
- The researchers separated biotic pressures, such as grazing and disease, from abiotic pressures like drought when explaining the grassland decline.

## Usage notes

- Typically placed before the noun it modifies, most often in the collocation 'biotic factors'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.