Basic Formal Ontology (BFO)

The upper level ontology upon which OBO Foundry ontologies are built.
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Open in the Ontology Lookup Service (OLS)

BFO_0000009 [BFO_0000009]

[BFO_0000009]

continuant [BFO_0000002]

An entity that exists in full at any time in which it exists at all, persists through time while maintaining its identity and has no temporal parts.

disposition [BFO_0000016]

[realizable entity; disposition]

entity [BFO_0000001]

[Delta0O; focussed ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM); JRC_FlyEM_Hemibrain; entity; JRC2018Unisex; KCa'b'; KCg-m]

fiat object part [BFO_0000024]

[fiat object part; material entity]

function [BFO_0000034]

[function; disposition]

generically dependent continuant [BFO_0000031]

A continuant that is dependent on one or other independent continuant bearers. For every instance of A requires some instance of (an independent continuant type) B but which instance of B serves can change from time to time.

immaterial entity [BFO_0000141]

[immaterial entity; independent continuant]

independent continuant [BFO_0000004]

b is an independent continuant = Def. b is a continuant which is such that there is no c and no t such that b s-depends_on c at t. (axiom label in BFO2 Reference: [017-002])

material entity [BFO_0000040]

An independent continuant that is spatially extended whose identity is independent of that of other entities and can be maintained through time.

object [BFO_0000030]

[object; material entity]

object aggregate [BFO_0000027]

[object aggregate; material entity]

occurrent [BFO_0000003]

An entity that has temporal parts and that happens, unfolds or develops through time.

process [BFO_0000015]

p is a process = Def. p is an occurrent that has temporal proper parts and for some time t, p s-depends_on some material entity at t. (axiom label in BFO2 Reference: [083-003])

quality [BFO_0000019]

[quality; specifically dependent continuant]

realizable entity [BFO_0000017]

A specifically dependent continuant that inheres in continuant entities and are not exhibited in full at every time in which it inheres in an entity or group of entities. The exhibition or actualization of a realizable entity is a particular manifestation, functioning or process that occurs under certain circumstances.

role [BFO_0000023]

A realizable entity the manifestation of which brings about some result or end that is not essential to a continuant in virtue of the kind of thing that it is but that can be served or participated in by that kind of continuant in some kinds of natural, social or institutional contexts.

site [BFO_0000029]

[immaterial entity; site]

spatial region [BFO_0000006]

[immaterial entity; spatial region]

specifically dependent continuant [BFO_0000020]

b is a specifically dependent continuant = Def. b is a continuant & there is some independent continuant c which is not a spatial region and which is such that b s-depends_on c at every time t during the course of b’s existence. (axiom label in BFO2 Reference: [050-003])


Last modified January 5, 2022: adding BFO (9ff97e0)