bioturbate
/ˌbaɪ.əʊˈtɜː.beɪt/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To disturb or mix soil or sediment by the action of living things, especially animals, roots, or worms. It is mainly used in science and academic writing.
- Worms bioturbate the soil.
- Animals bioturbate seabed mud.
- Roots bioturbate the top layer of earth.
Adinary Nuance
Bioturbate is more technical than mix, disturb, or churn. Writers use it in geology, ecology, and marine science when living organisms change soil or sediment. It is not the word for a person shaking something by hand; it describes natural biological action.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- xáo trộn sinh học
- Spanish
- bioturbar
- Chinese
- 生物扰动
- Japanese
- 生物攪乱する
- Korean
- 생물교란하다
Etymology
Built from Greek bios meaning 'life' and Latin turbare meaning 'to disturb'. It entered scientific English in the 20th century.
Common phrases
bioturbate the soilbioturbate marine sedimentstrongly bioturbated sediment
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is bioturbate a common everyday word?
- No. It is a scientific word used in ecology, geology, and marine studies.
- Can I use bioturbate in IELTS Writing?
- Yes, if you are writing about science, environment, or natural processes.
- What is the difference between bioturbate and disturb?
- Disturb is general. Bioturbate means living things physically mix soil or sediment.