metabolism
/mɪˈtæbəlɪzəm/noun
mass noun
- the chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life新陈代谢。
Two kinds of metabolism are often distinguished: constructive metabolism, the synthesis of the proteins, carbohydrates, and fats which form tissue and store energy, and destructive metabolism, the breakdown of complex substances and the consequent production of energy and waste matter.
派生词
metabolic
/ˌmetəˈbɒlɪk/ adjectivemetabolically
adverb词源
late 19th cent.: from Greek metabolē 'change' （from metaballein 'to change'） + -ISM.