biodeterioration

noun

Any undesirable change in the properties of a material, a construction, or a process caused by the vital activities of organisms.

OriginEnglish deterioration ← Ancient Greek βῐο- (bĭo-) ← Proto-Indo-European *gʷeyh₃- →
Scrabble 19
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Meanings

nounbiodeterioration (countable and uncountable, plural biodeteriorations)

plural biodeteriorations

  1. countableuncountablebiologyAny undesirable change in the properties of a material, a construction, or a process caused by the vital activities of organisms.

Origin

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

From bio- + deterioration.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

biodeterioration. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/biodeterioration

MLA

“biodeterioration.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/biodeterioration. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “biodeterioration,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/biodeterioration.

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