• Some yogurts have probiotics.Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Dan4th Nicholas
  
  

Etymology

• The word "biotics" is derived from the Greek word "biotikos," which means "relating to life."
  
  

Antibiotics

• Antibiotics are medicines that kill bacteria or prevent bacterial reproduction. The prefix anti- means against; antibiotics are therefore literally "against life."
  
  

Probiotics

• Probiotics are live bacteria that people consume in dietary supplements or food to treat an illness or improve their general well-being. The prefix pro- means "for"; probiotics are "pro life."
  
  

Symbiosis

• Symbiosis is a close ecological interaction between the individual organisms of different species. Symbiotic relationships can benefit both species (mutualism), benefit one species at the cost of another (parasitism), or benefit one species without harming the other (commensalism). The prefix "sym" means "together", so symbiotic relationships are "together life."
  
  

Biotic Potential

• An organism's biotic potential is its maximum reproductive capacity in optimal environmental conditions. Biotic potential literally translates to "life potential."