physiology
n. uncountablen. the study of how the bodies of living things work. It looks at how parts like the heart, lungs, and muscles function together to keep you alive.
n. the branch of biology dealing with the functions and vital processes of living organisms or their parts. It focuses on the physical and chemical mechanisms that maintain life.
Exercise has a major effect on human physiology.
The medical student spent the entire semester studying the physiology of the respiratory system to understand how oxygen enters the blood.
Advancements in high-altitude physiology have allowed researchers to understand how the human body adapts to extreme environments where oxygen levels are significantly lower than at sea level.
From French physiologie, from Latin physiologia, from Ancient Greek φυσιολογία (phusiología, “natural philosophy”), from φύσις (phúsis, “nature”) + λόγος (lógos, “word”). Equivalent to physio- + -logy.
Uncountable when referring to the scientific field; can be used with a possessive to describe the specific biological functions of an individual or species.