physiology

IPA/ˌfɪziˈɒlədʒi/
KK[fˌɪziˈɑlədʒi]IPA/ˌfɪziˈɑːlədʒi/

physiology — noun

1. the area of biology that examines how living bodies, organs, and cells normally

1.nounC2
Definition

the area of biology that examines how living bodies, organs, and cells normally work

Example

In physiology class, Nora learned how kidneys clean the blood.

school subject: physiology class

Dr. Chen teaches physiology to first-year nursing students at the college.

teach physiology

Common collocations
  • human physiology
  • exercise physiology
  • physiology class
  • professor of physiology
Synonyms
  • biology

    much broader, covering living things in general, not only how bodies function

  • anatomy

    a related field, but it studies structure rather than function

  • biomedical science

    broader and often includes disease, treatment, and laboratory methods beyond normal body function

Grammar Patterns

study physiology

teach physiology

physiology class

professor of physiology

Usage Note

Usually uncountable and common after verbs like study and teach, or in phrases such as professor of physiology. Distinguish from anatomy: physiology asks how living parts work, while anatomy looks at their shape and place.

Common Mistakes

Anatomy explains how the kidneys clean the blood.
Physiology explains how the kidneys clean the blood.
Anatomy is about structure; physiology is about function.
Physiology are difficult for me.
Physiology is difficult for me.
As a subject name, physiology usually takes a singular verb.

2. the way a living body, an organ, or a body process works

2.nounC2
Definition

the way a living body, an organ, or a body process works

Example

The book explains the physiology of sleep in clear, simple diagrams.

physiology of + process

The medicine changed the physiology of the heart within an hour.

change the physiology of + organ

Common collocations
  • the physiology of sleep
  • heart physiology
  • the body's physiology
  • normal physiology
Synonyms
  • function

    simpler and broader, but less technical than physiology

  • functioning

    stresses operation in a general way and is less scientific

  • bodily processes

    a plain phrase that names the activities inside the body rather than the system as a whole

Grammar Patterns

the physiology of sleep

heart physiology

bird physiology

the body's physiology

Usage Note

Most often appears in the pattern physiology of + animal, organ, or process. Distinguish from sense 1: here the word names how something functions, not the subject or research field.

Common Mistakes

The doctor explained the anatomy of sleep.
The doctor explained the physiology of sleep.
Sleep is a process, so the focus is on how it works, not on body structure.
The biology of the heart changed after the drug.
The physiology of the heart changed after the drug.
Biology is too broad here; physiology focuses on bodily function.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Physiology focuses on how living bodies and their parts work. Anatomy is the closest related subject, but it looks at structure, location, and form rather than function. Biology is much wider: it includes plants, animals, cells, evolution, and many other areas, so physiology is only one part of it. Pathology studies disease and the changes caused by illness, while physiology usually begins with normal processes in a healthy body. Use physiology when the question is about action or process: 'We studied the physiology of breathing.' Use anatomy when the question is about form: 'We studied the anatomy of the lungs.'

physiology ↗anatomy ↗biology ↗pathology ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • human physiology
  • plant physiology
  • heart physiology
  • cell physiology

Phrases

  • the physiology of sleep
  • the physiology of exercise
  • normal physiology

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

Physiology comes from Greek roots meaning 'nature' and 'study'. It reached English through scientific Latin and came to mean the study of how living bodies and their parts work. Over time, it also came to name the functioning of a body, organ, or process itself.