noun
metabolism
mih-TAB-uh-lihz-uhm
noun
1
The set of chemical processes inside a living thing that convert food into energy and keep it alive.
"A slow metabolism can make it harder to lose weight."
"Metabolism speeds up during illness as the body fights infection."
How to Use Metabolism
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHow your body turns food and oxygen into the energy it needs to function.
Common pairings
fast metabolism
slow metabolism
boost your metabolism
Word Forms
metabolisms plural
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Etymology
From Ancient Greek metabole ("change"), via the -ism suffix, from metaballo ("to change or alter").