metabolism

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

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

“Exercise can help change how your metabolism works over time.”

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

Technical

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Economists often study the industrial metabolism of a nation to understand how raw materials are converted into finished goods and environmental byproducts.”

Academic

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

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

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

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

Technical