WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
BIOS /ˈbaɪoʊs/USA pronunciation n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Computingthe part of a computer that directs many basic functions of the system, such as booting and keyboard control.
BIOS
(bī′ōs),USA pronunciation n.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026- Computingcomputer firmware that directs many basic functions of the operating system, as booting and keyboard control.
- B(asic) I(nput)/O(utput) south, southern(ystem)
bi•o /ˈbaɪoʊ/USA pronunciation
n., pl. bi•os.
bio-, prefix.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Informal Terms biography:[countable][a bio on the first president of the countablery.]
- Informal Terms biology:[uncountable][I had a rough course in bio last term.]
bio-, prefix.
- bio- comes from Greek, where it has the meaning "life.'' This meaning is found in such words as: biodegradable, biology, biosphere.
bi•o
(bī′ō),USA pronunciation n., pl. bi•os, adj. [Informal.]
n.
adj.
bio-,
n.
- Informal Termsbiography.
- Informal Termsbiology.
adj.
- Informal Termsbiographical.
- Informal Termsbiological:a bio control service using praying mantises to reduce the population of garden pests.
- 1945–50; by shortening; as adjective, adjectival, independent use of bio-, taken as a free form
bio-,
- a combining form meaning "life'' occurring in loanwords from Greek (biography);
on this model, used in the formation of compound words (bioluminescence).
- akin to Latin vīvus living, Sanskrit jīvas. See quick combining form of Greek bíos life
'BIOS' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
aerobe
- amphibious
- anabiosis
- bio-
- biotic
- coenobite
- microbe
- parabiosis
- quick
- saprobe
- autobio
- bio
- dendrobium
- enterobiasis
- Ibibio