biosphere

noun

bio·​sphere ˈbī-ə-ˌsfir How to pronounce biosphere (audio)
1
: the part of the world in which life can exist
2
: living organisms together with their environment
biospheric
ˌbī-ə-ˈsfir-ik How to pronounce biosphere (audio)
-ˈsfer-
-ˈsfe-rik
adjective

Did you know?

The lithosphere is the solid surface of the earth (lith- meaning "rock"); the hydrosphere is the earth's water (hydro- means "water"), including the clouds and water vapor in the air; and the atmosphere is the earth's air (atmos- meaning "vapor"). The term biosphere can include all of these, along with the 10 million species of living things they contain. The biosphere recycles its air, water, organisms, and minerals constantly to maintain an amazingly balanced state; human beings should probably do their best to imitate it. Though the word has a new sound to it, it was first used over a hundred years ago.

Examples of biosphere in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When considering the influence impacts might have on a planet's habitability, Pontefract also explains that a body's status as harboring a biosphere, or lack thereof, is also important for the following reasons. Conor Feehly, Discover Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024 Corfu is one of the lushest islands in the biosphere. Nielsen Dinwoodie, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024 Last year, the butterfly biosphere had nearly 300,000 visitors. Outside Online, 2 Oct. 2024 And that promotes an evolutionary pace that pushes them in the direction of becoming a very unique little biosphere, a miniature ecosystem, and that each cave has the potential for doing that. quantamagazine.org, 26 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for biosphere 

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from German Biosphäre, from bio- bio- + -sphäre -sphere

Note: Biosphäre was introduced by the Austrian geologist Eduard Suess (1831-1914) in Die Entstehung der Alpen (Vienna, 1875), p. 159.

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of biosphere was in 1899

Dictionary Entries Near biosphere

Cite this Entry

“Biosphere.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biosphere. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

biosphere

noun
bio·​sphere ˈbī-ə-ˌsfi(ə)r How to pronounce biosphere (audio)
: the part of the world in which life can exist

Medical Definition

biosphere

noun
bio·​sphere ˈbī-ə-ˌsfi(ə)r How to pronounce biosphere (audio)
1
: the part of the world in which life can exist
2
: living beings together with their environment

More from Merriam-Webster on biosphere

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