xenobiology

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UK/ˌzɛnəʊbaɪˈɒləd͡ʒi/UK/ˌziːnəʊbaɪˈɒləd͡ʒi/US/ˈziːnoʊbaɪˌɑːləd͡ʒi/US/ˌzɛnoʊbaɪˈɑːləd͡ʒi/

noun

The speculative biology of extraterrestrial life forms.

Similar
exobiology
OriginEnglish biology ← New Latin biologia ← Ancient Greek βίος (bíos) →
Scrabble 24
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Meanings

nounxenobiology (uncountable)
  1. uncountableThe speculative biology of extraterrestrial life forms.

    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.

    2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Odd Skull, Maji, Vamshi System, Armstrong Nebula

    Synonyms: exobiology

  2. uncountableThe biology of life forms with nonstandard biochemistry or codes, including synthetic life and mirror life.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe speculative biology of extraterrestrial life forms.

Similar
exobiology
Also see
exobiology

Origin

  1. Proto-Hellenic*ksénwos
  2. Ancient Greekξένϝος (xénwos)
  3. Ancient Greekξένος (xénos)
  4. Englishxeno-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*gʷeyh₃-
  6. Ancient Greekβίος (bíos)
  7. New Latinbiologia
  8. Englishbiology
  9. Englishxenobiology

From xeno- + biology. Sometimes attributed to science-fiction author Robert A. Heinlein.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 宇宙生物学, 外空生物学
  • 宇宙生物学speculative biology of extraterrestrial life
  • 外空生物学speculative biology of extraterrestrial life
  • 异源生物学speculative biology of extraterrestrial life
Estonian ksenobioloogia
  • ksenobioloogiaspeculative biology of extraterrestrial life
Finnish ksenobiologia
  • ksenobiologiaspeculative biology of extraterrestrial life
French xénobiologie
  • xénobiologiespeculative biology of extraterrestrial life
German Xenobiologie
  • Xenobiologiespeculative biology of extraterrestrial life
Japanese 宇宙生物学
  • 宇宙生物学 (uchū seibutsugaku)speculative biology of extraterrestrial life

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with xenobiology

technologypsychologybiologymethodologyecologypathologypharmacologytheologyastrologygeologyanthropologyarchaeologymythologyradiologytopologyanthologynanotechnologyideologyneurologycardiologydermatologymorphologyontologyapology
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

xenobiology. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/xenobiology

MLA

“xenobiology.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/xenobiology. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “xenobiology,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/xenobiology.

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