exobiology

American  

[ek-soh-bahy-ol-uh-jee] / ˌɛk soʊ baɪˈɒl ə dʒi /

noun

1. the study of life beyond the earth's atmosphere, as on other planets.

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exobiology British  

/ ˌɛksəʊbaɪˈɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. another name for astrobiology

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exobiology Scientific  

/ ĕk′sō-bī-ŏl′ə-jē /

1. The branch of biology that deals with the search for extraterrestrial life and the effects of extraterrestrial surroundings on living organisms.

2. Also called astrobiology

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Other Word Forms

• exobiological adjective
• exobiologist noun

Etymology

Origin of exobiology

First recorded in 1955–60; exo- + biology

Example Sentences

The data Europa Clipper collects will help scientists determine whether the icy moon really is the prime exobiology candidate they think that it may be.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 18, 2023

Dr. Lederberg then talked the topic up to officials at the National Academy of Sciences and NASA, calling it not astrobiology but exobiology.

From New York Times • Jul. 24, 2020

You may also sometimes hear this field referred to as exobiology or bioastronomy.

From Textbooks • Oct. 13, 2016

The reshuffle eliminates a large and unwieldy list of funding programs and reorganizes them into five themes: emerging worlds, Solar System workings, habitable worlds, exobiology and Solar System observations.

From Scientific American • Dec. 4, 2013

The searing critique caused many researchers in the nascent field to shy away from exobiology.

From Nature • Mar. 28, 2012