biomimicry

IPA/ˌbaɪ.əʊˈmɪm.ɪ.kri/
IPA/ˌbaɪ.oʊˈmɪm.ɪ.kri/

biomimicry — noun

1. the practice of studying how living things solve problems and using those ideas

1.nounC2
Definition

the practice of studying how living things solve problems and using those ideas to create products, buildings, or machines

Example

Engineers used biomimicry to shape a train nose like a bird's beak.

pattern: use biomimicry to + verb

Biomimicry guided the robot arm after researchers watched octopus movements underwater.

Common collocations
  • apply biomimicry
  • biomimicry in architecture
  • study biomimicry
  • use biomimicry to solve problems
Synonyms
  • biomimetics

    A close technical term, especially common in research and engineering.

  • nature-inspired design

    Broader and less technical; it may refer to appearance as well as function.

  • bionics

    Often used for devices that copy body systems, especially in medicine or robotics.

Grammar Patterns

use biomimicry to + verb

biomimicry in + field

turn to biomimicry

Usage Note

Usually uncountable. Often appears with verbs such as use, apply, study, and turn to, especially in design, engineering, and environmental writing.

Common Mistakes

This robot uses biomimicry because it works with biology.
This robot uses biomimicry because its arm copies an octopus.
Biomimicry means borrowing an idea from nature, not simply working with living things.
The company used biomimicry by putting real leaves on the roof.
The company used biomimicry by copying how lotus leaves shed water.
Biomimicry copies a natural method; it does not just use a natural object directly.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

For noun/1, biomimicry usually stresses learning from how plants and animals solve problems, then using that method in human design. Biomimetics is very close, but it sounds more technical and is common in research papers or engineering labs. Bionics often points to machines that copy body parts or biological functions, especially in medicine and robotics. Nature-inspired design is broader and looser: a chair that looks like a leaf may be nature-inspired, but it is not true biomimicry unless it also borrows a working idea from nature. A wall that stays clean by copying shark skin shows biomimicry, while a sensor-rich artificial hand may be called bionics.

biomimetics ↗bionics ↗nature-inspired design

Common collocations

Nouns

  • biomimicry research
  • biomimicry project
  • biomimicry approach

Phrases

  • use biomimicry to design
  • turn to biomimicry
  • apply biomimicry in architecture

Prepositions

  • biomimicry in
  • biomimicry for

Etymology

GreekEnglish

Biomimicry is a modern English word formed from bio-, meaning life, and mimicry, meaning copying. The word was created to describe design that learns from living systems instead of inventing solutions without reference to nature.