astrobiology

noun

as·​tro·​bi·​ol·​o·​gy ˌa-strō-(ˌ)bī-ˈä-lə-jē How to pronounce astrobiology (audio)
astrobiologist noun

Examples of astrobiology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web That’s why DiGregorio contends priority should be given to ruling out each and every sample’s prospects for harming Earth’s biosphere before it is brought back to our planet—something best done in a dedicated space station or even an astrobiology research lab built as part of a lunar base. Leonard David, Scientific American, 23 June 2022 The institute conducts research in a variety of fields related to astrobiology, astronomy, and space science, with a primary focus on detecting signals or signs of intelligent life in the universe. Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 25 Oct. 2023 How exactly Earth’s sunward sister world went so far astray is one of the greatest mysteries of planetary science—and a potential keystone for astrobiology. Leonard David, Scientific American, 14 Nov. 2023 And, perhaps most exciting, the sample contains about 4.7 percent by weight carbon, which is obviously the essential element for all life on Earth, and central to our astrobiology investigation. Klimek: So what does this all mean? Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Nov. 2023 What set the actual spark for the birth of astrobiology as a field, Rothschild says, was the Mars meteorite ALH84001, discovered in Antarctica’s icy fields in 1984. Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 25 Oct. 2023 And Zaya also went to an astrobiology camp this summer. Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 15 Sep. 2023 The boundary between mainstream astrobiology and the fringe is the idea that extraterrestrials have crossed the abyss of space to come see us — and that the governments of the world have somehow kept the evidence a secret. Seth Fletcher, New York Times, 24 Aug. 2023 About a year ago, the National Academies met to prioritize planetary science, astrobiology, and planetary defense missions in the next 10 years, and Uranus topped the list. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 5 May 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'astrobiology.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

astro- + biology

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of astrobiology was in 1898

Dictionary Entries Near astrobiology

Cite this Entry

“Astrobiology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/astrobiology. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

astrobiology

noun
as·​tro·​bi·​ol·​o·​gy -(ˌ)bī-ˈäl-ə-jē How to pronounce astrobiology (audio)
plural astrobiologies

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