A synthetic or semisynthetic material used in a biological system to construct an implantable prosthesis and chosen for its biocompatibility. [bio- + material]
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bio·ma·te·ri·al .bī-ō-mə-'tir-ē-əl n a natural or synthetic material (as a polymer or metal) that is suitable for introduction into living tissue esp. as part of a medical device (as an artificial heart valve or joint)
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bio·ma·te·ri·al (bi″o-mə-tēr-e-əl) any substance, synthetic or natural (other than a drug), that can be used as a system or part of a system to treat, augment, or replace a tissue, organ, or function of the body.Medical dictionary. 2011.