biomarker
|bi-o-mark-er|
🇺🇸
/ˈbaɪoʊˌmɑrkər/
🇬🇧
/ˈbaɪəʊˌmɑːkə/
life indicator
Etymology
'biomarker' originates from Greek, specifically the combining form 'bio-' from the Greek word 'bios', where 'bios' meant 'life', combined with English 'marker' from 'mark' meaning 'sign' or 'indicator'.
'biomarker' changed from the phrase 'biological marker' (used in scientific contexts) and eventually became the modern English compound word 'biomarker'.
Initially used to denote a biological 'mark' or sign broadly; over time it evolved into the more technical modern sense of a measurable biological indicator used in research and medicine.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a measurable biological molecule or characteristic (such as a protein, gene, or metabolite) that indicates a normal biological process, a pathogenic process, or a response to a therapeutic intervention.
The researchers identified a blood biomarker that predicts disease progression.
Synonyms
Noun 2
in clinical and pharmaceutical contexts, a characteristic objectively measured as an indicator of normal biological processes, pathogenic processes, or responses to an exposure or intervention (used for diagnosis, prognosis, or monitoring treatment).
Biomarkers are increasingly used in clinical trials to assess drug efficacy.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/12 04:55