Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “biotechnology” come from?

Biotechnology derives from Ancient Greek βίος meaning "life" and τέχνη meaning "craft," combined with Ancient Greek λόγος meaning "study," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots gʷeih₃w- and leǵ-.

biotechnology (English): The use of living organisms in industrial,...

Definitions

  1. The use of living organisms in industrial,...

Ancestry of “biotechnology”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtechnologyThe organization of knowledge for practical...
2Ancient Greekτεχνολογίαsystematic treatment of grammar
3Ancient Greekτεχνολόγοςtreating by rules of art; writer on the art of...
4Ancient Greekτέχνηcraft, skill, trade; art; cunning, wile
5Ancient Greek-λογίαBase for nouns denoting the study of something,...
6Ancient GreekλόγοςThat which is said: word, sentence, speech,...
7Ancient GreekλέγωI put in order, arrange, gather; I choose, count,...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanleǵ-to gather, collect, with derivatives meaning to...

Words derived from “biotechnology”

  • biotechnological
  • nanobiotechnology
  • biotechnologically
  • agrobiotechnology
  • agribiotechnology
  • agrobiotechnological
  • prebiotechnology
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leǵ- →