"science of the laws of life, or of living functions," 1853, in books on Comte's philosophy; see bio- "life" + -nomy "rule, law." Related: Bionomic.
Entries linking to bionomy
bio-
word-forming element, especially in scientific compounds, meaning "life, life and," or "biology, biology and," or "biological, of or pertaining to living organisms or their constituents," from Greek bios "one's life, course or way of living, lifetime" (as opposed to zoe "animal life, organic life"), from PIE root *gwei- "to live."
The correct usage is that in biography, but since c. 1800 in modern science it has been extended to mean "organic life," as zoo-, the better choice, is restricted in modern use to animal, as opposed to plant, life. Both are from the same PIE root. Compare biology.
-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."