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)
  • Rhymes: -ɒlədʒi

Noun

xenobiology (uncountable)

  1. The speculative biology of extraterrestrial life forms.
    Synonyms: astrobiology, exobiology
    • 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect, Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, 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 (1961 July 21) “Xenobiology”, in Science, volume 134, number 3473, →DOI, →JSTOR, →PMID, pages 223–225

Further reading
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