biomechatronic

adjective

bio·​mech·​a·​tron·​ic ¦bī-(ˌ)ō-ˌme-kə-¦trä-nik 

of a machine

: having a combination of mechanical and biological parts : bionic sense 2a(2)

In the past, researchers have incorporated living muscle tissue into much larger machines. For instance, several years ago, a team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology demonstrated a palm-size device, called the biomechatronic fish, that swam under the power of muscle tissue extracted from frogs' legs.

—Peter Weiss, Science News, 22 Jan. 2005

Word History

First Known Use

1997, in the meaning defined above

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!