Meaning & use

metabolism

noun·Academic

The chemical processes in a living organism that convert food into energy and maintain life.

See it in a sentence

Regular exercise can help boost your metabolism significantly over time.

Doctors checked her thyroid because it plays a key role in metabolism.

A note on using this word

Metabolism is often loosely used to mean how quickly someone burns calories, though scientifically it covers all of the body's chemical processes.

Words with a similar meaning

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