bioenergeticadj.
/ˌbʌɪəʊɛnəˈdʒɛtɪk/, U.S. /ˌbaɪoʊˌɛnərˈdʒɛdɪk/ 1. Biology. Of or relating to the production and use of energy in living organisms, or the subject of bioenergetics (bioenergetics n. 1).
ΚΠ
1913 Chem. Abstr. 7 3136 The installation of a calorimeter adapted to bioenergetic studies on human beings.
1948 Sci. Monthly Feb. 133/2 With this outside help, man's impact on the environment, his bioenergetic importance, becomes much greater than that of other mammalian species.
1987 Mono Basin Ecosystem (National Res. Council (U.S.)) vi. 188 Because of bioenergetic demands placed on larval growth and development, brine shrimp populations could be expected to gradually decrease in abundance if salinity increased.
2006 Jrnl. Cell Biol. 174 994/1 A strong inhibition of phosphate carrier activity by vMIA can limit the generation of ATP in the matrix and cause a bioenergetic deficiency in the entire cell.
2. Of or relating to the Reichian theory that vital or sexual energy is derived from orgone, and that orgone can be used to treat mental and physical conditions; cf. Reichian n., orgone n. Later also: of or relating to the holistic therapy of bioenergetics (bioenergetics n. 2).
ΚΠ
1949 Orgone Energy Bull. Apr. 95 Physical orgone therapy, application of physical orgone energy concentrated in an orgone accumulator to increase the natural bio-energetic defenses of the organism against disease.
1953 W. Reich Murder of Christ 168 The organism that cannot grow is not in..accord with its own bio-energetic necessities.
1978 N.Y. Mag. 3 Apr. 85/3 (advt.) Bioenergetic—Gestalt therapy—individual or group.
1996 Kindred Spirit Summer 69/2 (advt.) Topics to be covered include..personal development through bioenergetic character.
2003 L. Hawking Jaded xi. 149 He became so incensed by her insistence on his bio-energetic levels being seriously reduced due to entrenched anger that he sat up smartly and accidentally head-butted the woman.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, November 2010; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.1913