bioavailability

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noun

The extent to which a substance is molecularly available to cells and tissues in a living organism, which depends on factors such as solubility, pH level, and presence of enzymes and cofactors; for example, even if one's ingestion of vitamin B₁₂ is average/typical, one might nonetheless have B₁₂ deficiency if one has poor metabolism of this particular vitamin.

“poor/low oral bioavailability”

OriginEnglish availability ← Ancient Greek βῐο- (bĭo-) ← Proto-Indo-European *gʷeyh₃- →
Less commonScrabble 25
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Meanings

nounbioavailability (countable and uncountable, plural bioavailabilities)

plural bioavailabilities

  1. countableuncountablebiologyThe extent to which a substance is molecularly available to cells and tissues in a living organism, which depends on factors such as solubility, pH level, and presence of enzymes and cofactors; for example, even if one's ingestion of vitamin B₁₂ is average/typical, one might nonetheless have B₁₂ deficiency if one has poor metabolism of this particular vitamin.
    1. countableuncountablenutritionbiologyThe amount of drug or nutrient which reaches the site of physiological activity after administration.

      poor/low oral bioavailability

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
biodisponibility

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*gʷeyh₃-
  2. Ancient Greekβῐ́ος (bĭ́os)
  3. Ancient Greekβῐο- (bĭo-)
  4. Englishbio-
  5. Englishavailability
  6. Englishbioavailability

From bio- + availability.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish biosaatavuus
  • biosaatavuusamount of drug which reaches the site of physiological activity after administration
German Bioverfügbarkeit
  • Bioverfügbarkeitamount of drug which reaches the site of physiological activity after administration
Indonesian bioavailabilitas, ketersediaan hayati
  • bioavailabilitasamount of drug which reaches the site of physiological activity after administration
  • ketersediaan hayatiamount of drug which reaches the site of physiological activity after administration
Irish bith-infhaighteacht
  • bith-infhaighteachtamount of drug which reaches the site of physiological activity after administration
Italian biodisponibilità
  • biodisponibilitàamount of drug which reaches the site of physiological activity after administration
Malay bioavailabiliti, bioketersediaan
  • bioavailabilitiamount of drug which reaches the site of physiological activity after administration
  • bioketersediaanamount of drug which reaches the site of physiological activity after administration
  • biokeperolehanamount of drug which reaches the site of physiological activity after administration
Portuguese biodisponibilidade
  • biodisponibilidadeamount of drug which reaches the site of physiological activity after administration
Russian биодосту́пность
  • биодосту́пность (biodostúpnostʹ)amount of drug which reaches the site of physiological activity after administration
Spanish biodisponibilidad
  • biodisponibilidadamount of drug which reaches the site of physiological activity after administration
Vietnamese sinh khả dụng
  • sinh khả dụngamount of drug which reaches the site of physiological activity after administration
Cite this entry
APA

bioavailability. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bioavailability

MLA

“bioavailability.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bioavailability. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bioavailability,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bioavailability.

Source: bioavailability on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.