exobiology

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noun

The branch of biology dealing with exolife: (putative or predicted) extraterrestrial lifeforms (those originating from planets other than Earth).

Similar
xenobiologyspace biologyastrobiology
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Meanings

nounexobiology (usually uncountable, plural exobiologies)

plural exobiologies

  1. uncountableusuallylife sciencesliteratureThe branch of biology dealing with exolife: (putative or predicted) extraterrestrial lifeforms (those originating from planets other than Earth).
    1 more example

    Biology has lately given rise to a new discipline: exobiology, the study of extraterrestrial life. Ever since 1959, when analysis of a piece of meteor substance showed traces of organic compounds, a controversy has raged as to whether these compounds came into the atmosphere with the meteorite or whether they originate on earth.

    1973, Lyall Watson, Supernature, page ix. 310

    Synonyms: xenobiology

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe branch of biology dealing with exolife: (putative or predicted) extraterrestrial lifeforms (those originating from planets other than Earth).

Similar
xenobiology

More synonyms by meaning

nounthe branch of biology concerned with the effects of outer space on living organisms and the search for extraterrestrial life

Similar
space biologyastrobiology
Broader
biologybiological science
Also see
astrobiologyspace biologyxenobiologyxenology

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From exo- + biology, coined by American molecular biologist Joshua Lederberg.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan exobiologia
  • exobiologiabiology dealing with extraterrestrial lifeforms
Chinese Mandarin 天體生物學 /天体生物学, 外空生物学
  • 天體生物學 /天体生物学biology dealing with extraterrestrial lifeforms
  • 外空生物学biology dealing with extraterrestrial lifeforms
  • 太空生物学biology dealing with extraterrestrial lifeforms
Dutch exobiologie
  • exobiologiebiology dealing with extraterrestrial lifeforms
Finnish eksobiologia
  • eksobiologiabiology dealing with extraterrestrial lifeforms
French exobiologie
  • exobiologiebiology dealing with extraterrestrial lifeforms
German Exobiologie
  • Exobiologiebiology dealing with extraterrestrial lifeforms
Hungarian exobiológia
  • exobiológiabiology dealing with extraterrestrial lifeforms
Irish eisibhitheolaíocht
  • eisibhitheolaíochtbiology dealing with extraterrestrial lifeforms
Lithuanian egzobiologija
  • egzobiologijabiology dealing with extraterrestrial lifeforms
Polish astrobiologia, egzobiologia
  • astrobiologiabiology dealing with extraterrestrial lifeforms
  • egzobiologiabiology dealing with extraterrestrial lifeforms
Portuguese exobiologia
  • exobiologiabiology dealing with extraterrestrial lifeforms
Romanian exobiologie
  • exobiologiebiology dealing with extraterrestrial lifeforms
Russian экзобиоло́гия
  • экзобиоло́гия (ekzobiológija)biology dealing with extraterrestrial lifeforms
Spanish exobiología
  • exobiologíabiology dealing with extraterrestrial lifeforms
Cite this entry
APA

exobiology. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/exobiology

MLA

“exobiology.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/exobiology. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “exobiology,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/exobiology.

Source: exobiology on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.