Definition
noun, plural: structures
(1) (biology) An arrangement or organization of parts to form an organ, system, or living thing.
(2) (ecology) A network or a hierarchy of interrelated parts of a system.
(3) (chemistry) The molecular geometry, electronic structure and crystal structure of a chemical compound.
(4) The formation or mode of construction of a body or system from distinct units.
(5) A collection of interrelated or arranged parts of an entity.
(6) The overall form or organization of something.
(7) A formation, organization or construction.
Supplement
In biology, structures exist at all levels of organization, i.e. from the molecular to the cellular, tissue, organ, organismic, population and ecosystem level.
Word origin: French structure < Latin structura (“‘a fitting together, adjustment, building, erection, a building, edifice, structure’”)
Related forms: structural (adjective)
Related terms:
- Structure activity analysis
- Structure-activity relationship
- Stem and loop structure
- Fine structure
- Gel structure
- Molecular structure
- Crystal structure
- Protein structure
- Primary structure
- Secondary structure
- Tertiary structure
- Quaternary structure
