Definition of "metabolism" in English

noun

1. (physiology) The chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life.

   • The metabolisms of aerobic bacteria require oxygen

2. (physiology, by extension) The rate at which these processes occur for a given organism

   • Small animals have a much higher metabolism than large animals because they lose more body heat

3. (figurative, by extension) The processes that maintain any dynamic system.