"science of organic evolution; ecology," 1888, coined by Scottish biologist Patrick Geddes from Greek bios "life" (from PIE root *gwei- "to live") + nomos "managing" (see -nomy) . Related: Bionomical.
Entries linking to bionomics
*gwei-
also *gweie-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to live."
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit jivah "alive, living;" Old Persian *jivaka- "alive," Middle Persian zhiwak "alive;" Greek bios "one's life, course or way of living, lifetime," zoe "animal life, organic life;" Old English cwic, cwicu "living, alive;" Latin vivus "living, alive," vita "life;" Old Church Slavonic zivo "to live;" Lithuanian gyvas "living, alive," gyvata "(eternal) life;" Old Irish bethu "life," bith "age;" Welsh byd "world."
-nomy
word-forming element, principally in the science, forming names of disciplines describing natural laws or scientific methods; from Greek -nomia "method," -nomos "managing," nomos "law, usage, custom," all from the verb nemein "to manage," from PIE root *nem- "assign, allot; take."