Physiological means to do with how the body works. A physiological response, physiological changes, physiological needs.
It describes the mechanism rather than the anatomy: anatomy is what the parts are and physiological questions are about what they do. A physiological response is one the body produces automatically, which matters in arguments about what somebody could control.
1adjectivephysiologicalTo do with how the body works.
“Fear causes physiological changes, such as a faster heartbeat and sweaty hands.”
physiological is a quality.
From physiology, from Greek physis, nature, plus logia, the study of.
From physio- + -logical. Either from physio- + -logical (equivalent to physiology + -ical) or physiologicus + al.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA