biologism

B3I1O1L1O1G2I1S1M3

noun

The use or emphasis of biological principles or methods in explaining human, especially social, behavior.

OriginEnglish biology ← New Latin biologia ← Ancient Greek λόγος (lógos) →
First used 20th c.Scrabble 14
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Meanings

nounbiologism (usually uncountable, plural biologisms)

plural biologisms

  1. uncountableusuallyThe use or emphasis of biological principles or methods in explaining human, especially social, behavior.First known use 20th c.

    But Sophocles and Rhode are both very much concerned with crude biologism vis-à-vis the Oedipal situation.

    1988, Angela Carter, “Eric Rhode: On Birth and Madness”, in Shaking a Leg, Vintage, published 2013, page 95

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*gʷeyh₃-
  2. Ancient Greekβίος (bíos)
  3. Proto-Indo-European*leǵ-
  4. Proto-Indo-European*lóǵos
  5. Proto-Hellenic*lógos
  6. Ancient Greekλόγος (lógos)
  7. New Latinbiologia
  8. Englishbiology
  9. Englishbiologism

From biology + -ism.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Polish biologizm
  • biologizmTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

biologism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/biologism

MLA

“biologism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/biologism. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “biologism,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/biologism.

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