Biology combines elements about life and an account or study. Merriam-Webster traces the English word through German Biologie. The modern scientific subject received a name assembled from much older Greek material.
This view explains the components. They are pieces of one construction, not consecutive borrowing stages.
Sources
- Merriam-Webster · biology
Formation of the word.
- Merriam-Webster · bio-
Meaning and history of this component.
- Merriam-Webster · -logy
Meaning and history of this component.