short for biography, attested from 1954. OED cites a 1925 private letter (published 1975) from Irish playwright Sean O'Casey. Earlier shortened forms were biog (1942), biograph (1865).

word-forming element, especially in scientific compounds, meaning "life, life and," or "biology, biology and," or "biological, of or pertaining to living organisms or their constituents," from Greek bios "one's life, course or way of living, lifetime" (as opposed to zoe "animal life, organic life"), from PIE root *gwei- "to live."

The correct usage is that in biography, but since c. 1800 in modern science it has been extended to mean "organic life," as zoo-, the better choice, is restricted in modern use to animal, as opposed to plant, life. Both are from the same PIE root. Compare biology.

also bio-ethics, coined 1970 by U.S. biochemist Van Rensselaer Potter II, who defined it as "Biology combined with diverse humanistic knowledge forging a science that sets a system of medical and environmental priorities for acceptable survival." From bio- + ethics.

also bio-magnetism, 1874, "animal magnetism," the supposed fluid or influence transmitted from one person to another and capable of modifying organic action, as in hypnosis; from German Biomagnetismus (1868); see bio- + magnetism. Later (by 1992) "the phenomenon of magnetic fields produced by living organisms."

"a student of the science of life," 1813, from biology + -ist. The earliest use is in reference to human life (with the Greek sense of bios, for which see bio-); in its modern scientific sense, "one skilled in or a student of the discipline of biology," by 1874. Biologian is attested from 1865.

1831, "calculation of life expectancy" (obsolete); see bio- + -metry. Coined by Whewell, popularized 1860s by T.S. Lambert. Later, "application of mathematics to the study of biology" (1894). Related: Biometer, a word used in various senses from the 1830s on; it is attested from 1865 as "life table," calculating the duration of life under given conditions.

"pertaining to life," 1847, also biotical (1847), from Latin bioticus, from Greek biotikos "pertaining to life," from bios "life" (from PIE root *gwei- "to live"). Also see bio-. Biotic factor was in use by 1907. Related: Biotical. Biotics "science of vital functions and manifestations; powers and qualities peculiar to living organisms" (T. Sterry Hunt) is from 1882.

"the science of life and living things," 1819, from Greek bios "life, one's life, lifetime" (from PIE root *gwei- "to live;" see bio-) + -logy "study of." The compound was suggested 1802 by German naturalist Gottfried Reinhold Treviranus, and introduced as a scientific term that year in French by Lamarck; the two seem to have hit upon the word independently.

also bio-chemistry, "the chemistry of life," 1857, from bio- "life" + chemistry.

also bio-chemist, "student of the chemistry of life," 1894; see bio- "life" + chemist.