Standard Lemma guide

bioaccumulation

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • rhymes with -eɪʃən

1

noun

Meaning 1

The process by which substances accumulate in the tissues of living organisms; used especially of toxic substances that accumulate by means of a food chain.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: biology, natural-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gweyh3-der. Ancient Greek βῐ́ος (bĭ́os) Ancient Greek βῐο- (bĭo-)der. English bio- Proto-Indo-European *h2éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Proto-Indo-European *ḱewh1- Proto-Indo-European *ḱuh1mósder.? Latin cumulus Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh2yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h2tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin cumulō Latin accumulō Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin accumulātiōder. Middle French accumulationbor. ▲ Latin accumulātiōbor. Middle English acumulacyon English accumulation English bioaccumulation From bio- + accumulation.

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Danish: bioakkumulation — the process by which substances accumulate in the tissues of living organisms
  • Dutch: bioaccumulatie — the process by which substances accumulate in the tissues of living organisms
  • French: bioaccumulation — the process by which substances accumulate in the tissues of living organisms
  • German: Bioakkumulation — the process by which substances accumulate in the tissues of living organisms
  • Indonesian: bioakumulasi — the process by which substances accumulate in the tissues of living organisms
  • Irish: bithbhailiú — the process by which substances accumulate in the tissues of living organisms
  • Italian: bioaccumulo — the process by which substances accumulate in the tissues of living organisms
  • Japanese: 生物濃縮 (seibutsunōshuku) — the process by which substances accumulate in the tissues of living organisms
  • Polish: bioakumulacja — the process by which substances accumulate in the tissues of living organisms
  • Portuguese: bioacumulação — the process by which substances accumulate in the tissues of living organisms
  • Russian: биоаккумуля́ция (bioakkumuljácija) — the process by which substances accumulate in the tissues of living organisms
  • Spanish: bioacumulación — the process by which substances accumulate in the tissues of living organisms
  • Swedish: bioackumulation — the process by which substances accumulate in the tissues of living organisms