xenobiology

English
WOTD – 28 May 2007

Etymology

xeno- +‎ biology. Sometimes attributed to science-fiction author Robert A. Heinlein.[1]

Pronunciation
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌzɛnəʊbaɪˈɒləd͡ʒi/, /ˌziːnəʊbaɪˈɒləd͡ʒi/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈziːnoʊbaɪˌɑːləd͡ʒi/, /ˌzɛnoʊbaɪˈɑːləd͡ʒi/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Audio (US)(file)

Noun

xenobiology (uncountable)

  1. The speculative biology of extraterrestrial life forms.
    Synonyms: astrobiology, exobiology
    • 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect, Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, OCLC 246633669, PC, scene: Odd Skull, Maji, Vamshi System, Armstrong Nebula:
      This massive skull is scored by deflected mass accelerator shots. The xenobiology files in your hardsuit computer can't identify the species. It must have been brought here from an unknown world.
  2. The biology of life forms with non-standard biochemistry or codes.

Translations

References
  1. Harold Wooster (21 July 1961), “Xenobiology”, in Science, volume 134, issue 3473, DOI:10.1126/science.134.3473.223, JSTOR 1708323, PMID 17818726, pages 223–225

Further reading
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