self-replicating

adjective

self-rep·li·cat·ing ˌself-ˈre-plə-ˌkā-tiŋ

: reproducing itself autonomously

DNA is a self-replicating molecule

self-replication

ˌself-ˌre-plə-ˈkā-shən

noun

Examples of self-replicating in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web At the extreme, the threat of uncontrolled, self-replicating AGIs—should they be invented in the years to come—would provide strong incentives to coordinate on safety and containment. —

Ian Bremmer and Mustafa Suleyman, Foreign Affairs, 16 Aug. 2023 Unlike nuclear weapons, bacteria and viruses are self-replicating. —

William MacAskill, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2022 In 2017, Sandworm released NotPetya, a piece of self-replicating code that spread to networks worldwide and inflicted a record $10 billion in damage. —

Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 15 Mar. 2023 Hordes of self-replicating robots popping up everywhere? —

Erico Guizzo, IEEE Spectrum, 29 Dec. 2016

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

Word History

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of self-replicating was in 1946

See more words from the same year

Dictionary Entries Near self-replicating

self-renunciation

self-replicating

self-report

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Self-replicating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-replicating. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.

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