ENGLISH
REFERENCE

metabolism

n.
US //məˈtæbəˌɫɪzəm// UK //mətˈæbəlˌɪzəm// me·tab·o·lism
  1. 1 biological process (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Science

    the set of chemical reactions in a living thing that keep it alive and growing.

    the biochemical processes occurring within a living organism to maintain life, including both catabolism and anabolism.

    Example

    Exercise can help change how your metabolism works over time.

    Example

    The drug was designed to interfere with the metabolism of cancer cells, effectively starving them of the nutrients required for rapid division.

    Usage

    Often used as an uncountable noun in scientific contexts.
    • biological process
  2. 2 energy rate (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the speed at which your body uses energy or burns calories.

    the rate at which an individual organism consumes energy, often used in discussions of diet and fitness.

    Example

    Some people have a naturally fast metabolism and can eat a lot without gaining weight.

    Example

    As people age, their basal metabolism tends to slow down, necessitating a more careful balance between caloric intake and physical activity.

    Usage

    Commonly modified by adjectives like 'fast', 'slow', 'high', or 'low'.
    • metabolic rate
  3. 3 system maintenance (n.)
    C1 Advanced Academic

    the way a complex system, like a city or a business, uses resources to keep running.

    the internal processes that maintain the stability and function of a dynamic system through the exchange of energy or information.

    Example

    The book examines the social metabolism of the city and how it handles waste.

    Example

    Economists often study the industrial metabolism of a nation to understand how raw materials are converted into finished goods and environmental byproducts.
  4. 4 Japanese architecture (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical

    a style of Japanese architecture from the 1960s that treated buildings like living, growing things.

    a post-war Japanese architectural movement that combined megastructures with ideas of organic biological growth.

    Example

    The Nakagin Capsule Tower is a famous example of Metabolism in architecture.

    Example

    The proponents of Metabolism envisioned cities as flexible, evolving organisms rather than static collections of permanent buildings.

Origin

From Ancient Greek μεταβολή (metabolḗ, “change”) + -ism, from μεταβάλλω (metabállō, “to change, to alter”) + -η (-ē, action noun suffix).

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

Word family

Last updated June 20, 2026