Standard Lemma guide

biotech

noun · 3 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈbaɪəʊˌtɛk/
  • General-American: /ˈbaɪoʊˌtɛk/
  • CMU ARPABET: B AY1 OW0 T EH2 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Biotechnology.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Examples

  • I’m planning to work in biotech after college.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: tech, technology

2

noun

Meaning 2

A company specializing in biotechnology, or stock in such a company.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

Examples

  • A lot of people invested in biotechs back in the ’90s.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

the branch of molecular biology that studies the use of microorganisms to perform specific industrial processes

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • biotechnology produced genetically altered bacteria that solved the problem

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: biotechnology

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: molecular biology

Narrower terms: bioremediation, genetic engineering, gene-splicing, recombinant DNA technology

History

Etymology

Clipping of biotechnology. Analyzable as bio- (“biological”) + tech (“technology”) or as a clipped compound, bio(logical) tech(nology).