Biology Slang, Jargon, and New Words from Double-Tongued Dictionary

Biology, including plants, animals, and the study of them. You can also see entries assigned to this category.

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knock down v. phr. The scientists established screens using a technique called RNA interference to “knock down”—or silence—the noncoding RNA within cells. [English Biology Science] [full cite] (Sep. 12, 2005)

Korotkoff sound n. Blood rushing around your arteries makes noises. These are called “Korotkoff sounds.” [English Biology Body Jargon] [full cite] (Nov. 9, 2006)

lex genetica n. Just as the novel term lex informatica describes the deployment of technological constraints on electronic information as a source of policy, the neologism lex genetica expresses the same idea with respect to bioengineered constraints on genetic information. In short, “information is information, whether the medium is a double helix or an optical disk.” [English Biology Science Jargon] [full cite] (May. 14, 2004)

lyte n. Multiple blistering days, almost sure to return to the Rogue Valley if historical patterns hold, bring plenty of people in to buy electrolyte replacement drinks, such as ReCharge, says Newfield. These are compounds of sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and other elements, containing ions that allow transmission of the body’s nerve signals. Profuse sweating in the heat depletes “lytes,” as they are called in the fitness world. [English Biology Slang Abbreviation] [full cite] (Aug. 9, 2006)

megasquid n. In 200 million years, evolution brings bizarre animals like “flish,” birds that evolved from fish; “bumblebeetles,” beetles that fly; and “megasquid,” multi-ton, land-based squid creatures. [English Animals, Insects, & Birds Biology] [full cite] (May. 4, 2005)

metabolomics n. Chemical reactions in a biological system result in a number of intermediate molecules known as metabolites. Studying the nature of these metabolites can shed light on the functioning of the entire cellular system. The pursuit of this information has been variously described as metabolite profiling, metabolomics, and metabolomics. At this time, the use of these neologisms is still flexible, allowing for a great deal of overlap in their meaning, but in general, metabolite profiling is a study more likely to be found in the context of pharmaceutical research, whereas metabolomics is the domain of systems biologists and metabonomics more of an environmental or ecological pursuit. [English Biology Science] [full cite] (Aug. 25, 2005)

metabonomics n. Chemical reactions in a biological system result in a number of intermediate molecules known as metabolites. Studying the nature of these metabolites can shed light on the functioning of the entire cellular system. The pursuit of this information has been variously described as metabolite profiling, metabolomics, and metabolomics. At this time, the use of these neologisms is still flexible, allowing for a great deal of overlap in their meaning, but in general, metabolite profiling is a study more likely to be found in the context of pharmaceutical research, whereas metabolomics is the domain of systems biologists and metabonomics more of an environmental or ecological pursuit. [English Biology Science] [full cite] (Aug. 25, 2005)

mirror neuron n. The most significant finding was the discovery of “mirror neurons,” a widely dispersed class of brain cells that operate like neural WiFi. Mirror neurons track the emotional flow, movement and even intentions of the person we are with, and replicate this sensed state in our own brain by stirring in our brain the same areas active in the other person. [English Biology Body] [full cite] (Oct. 11, 2006)

Moa’s ark n. At stake is the future of “Moa’s Ark,” the name that English botanist David Bellamy coined for New Zealand and its unusual wildlife. [English New Zealand Biology Environment] [full cite] (Dec. 10, 2004)

number three n. She cast a look at Charlie, who was suddenly showing signs of coming undone and possibly even “going No. 3” (my daughter’s term for throwing up). [English Biology Body Slang] [full cite] (Dec. 24, 2006)

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