functional biology
nounUK /ˈfʌŋkʃənəl baɪˈɒlədʒi/
US /ˈfʌŋkʃənəl baɪˈɑːlədʒi/
Functional biology is the study of how living things' body parts work and what jobs they do.
In functional biology class, we learned how a bird's wings help it fly.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. The branch of biology that explains how structures help organisms survive.
Functional biology shows why a fish's gills are shaped for breathing underwater.
3. A way of studying life that focuses on what body parts do rather than how they evolved.
Her research in functional biology compares how different animals' hearts pump blood.
4. The study of the jobs and processes that keep living things alive and healthy.
Functional biology helps doctors understand how a sick organ stops working properly.