Meaning & use
biochemistry
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountablebiologychemistry
The science that studies the chemical substances and reactions inside living things.
Grammar: No plural and takes a singular verb: biochemistry is difficult.
Patterns
- study biochemistry
- a degree in biochemistry
She is studying biochemistry at university.
Biochemistry explains how enzymes speed up reactions.
The drug was developed using advances in biochemistry.
noununcountablebiology
The chemical makeup and processes of a particular organism or body system.
Grammar: Often used with a possessive or of: the biochemistry of the liver.
Patterns
- the biochemistry of something
The biochemistry of the brain is still not fully understood.
Stress can alter a person's biochemistry.
Researchers compared the biochemistry of two plant species.
Common combinations
- study biochemistry
- He chose to study biochemistry.
- a biochemistry lab
- The biochemistry lab opens at eight.
- basic biochemistry
- Basic biochemistry is taught in the first year.
- the biochemistry of
- The biochemistry of sleep involves many chemicals.
- biochemistry research
- Biochemistry research led to the new treatment.
Synonyms and how they differ
- biological chemistry
- Biological chemistry is the full phrase, used mostly in the names of university departments.
- molecular biology
- Molecular biology focuses on how genes and cells work, while biochemistry focuses on the chemicals themselves.
- physiology
- Physiology studies how body parts function, not the chemical reactions behind them.
Word family
- biochemist noun
- a scientist who studies chemical processes in living things
- biochemical adjective
- relating to chemistry in living things
- biochemically adverb
- in a way related to biochemistry
- chemistry noun
- the science of substances and their reactions
Commonly confused: biochemistry or biology?
biochemistry vs biology
Biology studies living things in general, while biochemistry concentrates on their chemistry.
Practice
A researcher who studies how enzymes break down food in the body works in the field of ___.
Choose one answer.
Biochemistry covers chemical reactions in living things such as digestion. The other fields do not study living chemistry.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “biochemistry”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.