| ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ at meta- +|bälik, -lēk adjective
also meta·bol·i·cal -lə̇kəl, -lēk-
Etymology: metabolic from German metabolisch, from Greek metabolikos changing, from metabolē change + -ikos -ic; metabolical from metabolic + -al
1. : of, relating to, or worked by metabolism
our feelings as well as our physical acts have an essentially metabolic pattern — Susanne K. Langer
2.
a. : undergoing metamorphosis : changeable in form
b.
[New Latin Metabola + English -ic or -ical ]
: of or relating to the Metabola
3. : vegetative 1a — used especially of a cell nucleus that is not dividing; compare resting nucleus
• meta·bol·i·cal·ly -lə̇k(ə)lē, -lēk-, -li adverb