Meaning & use

abiotic

adjective·Academic

Relating to the non-living physical and chemical parts of an environment, such as water, light, or temperature.

See it in a sentence

Rainfall and soil pH are abiotic factors that affect where certain plants can grow.

The study measured abiotic conditions in the lake before testing the fish population.

A note on using this word

Abiotic is used mainly in biology and ecology, contrasted directly with 'biotic,' which describes living organisms and their effects.

Words with a similar meaning

non-living

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Words with an opposite meaning

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