xenobiological adj.

of or relating to xenobiology n.

Earliest in the rare xenobiologically adv.

  • 1958 Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction Feb. 20 page image

    Our xenobiologically-minded authors poured in reports on astonishing alien beings; and readers still cherish the memory of such fascinating creatures as Theodore Sturgeon’s often-reprinted hurkle.

  • 1973 A. D. Foster Bloodhype 173 Alan Dean Foster

    And I might suggest a more regulated intake of oxygen. Your present rate of consumption intrigues me only as a xenobiological curiosity. Save it for those it may affect.

  • 1979 J. White Secret History of Sector General 16

    Jack, who is a very helpful person and a stickler for xenobiological verisimilitude, is senior lecturer in animal reproduction at the University of Birmingham in England.

  • 1993 A. McCaffrey Chronicles of Pern: First Fall 228 Anne McCaffrey

    How will you ever increase your understanding of xenobiological forms unless you examine closely whatever samples come your way?

  • 1994 E. Brown Engineman 143

    Unlike in the outlying districts of the city, where xenobiological specimens flourished without restraint, this garden was designed and tended by a team of the finest off-world horticulturists.

  • 2001 Locus June 23/2

    An isolated planet with a minimal level of technology, World would be of interest only to a few xenobiological specialists if not for its relics of the vanished ancient civilization which created the space tunnels between star systems.

  • 2001 P. F. Hamilton Fallen Dragon ix. 253 Peter F. Hamilton

    Certainly nobody on Earth knew about them. Which is surprising. From a xenobiological viewpoint I cannot overstate how important they are.

  • 2002 R. Vajra Sidehunter in Analog Science Fiction and Fact June 27/2

    I wasn’t employed by the Ecomission’s endangered-species branch. My paycheck came from its enforcement arm: the Ecoservice Agency. And I wasn’t just another xenobiological troubleshooter. My title was Special Agent Extraordinary. I'd been so good at forensic ecology, the Agency had declared me its premier investigator.

  • 2005 E. Bear Worldwired 315

    In the meantime, he kept himself busy talking to Charlie, and to Jeremy—through Charlie—and writing exhaustive reports on the data he could collect in between Charlie’s xenobiological pursuits.


Research requirements

any evidence 1958

Earliest cite

Editorial note in F&SF

Research History
Jeff Prucher submitted a 1996 cite from James White's "The Secret History of Sector General" - this is a revised and expanded version of the article published in the 1979 collection "Ambulance Ship". Michael Dolbear located the cite in a 1986 reprint, and Mike Christie verified it in a 1980 reprint.
Michael Dolbear submitted a 1993 cite from Anne McCaffrey's "The Chronicles of Pern: 1st Fall". Douglas Winston submitted a 2002 cite from Peter F. Hamilton's "Fallen Dragon".
Bill Mullins submitted a 2002 cite from "Sidehunter" by Rajnar Vajra.
Malcolm Farmer submitted a 1994 cite from Eric Brown's "Engineman".
Douglas Winston submitted a 2005 cite from Elizabeth Bear's "Worldwired".

We would like to see cites of any date from other sources, in particular for the adverb xenobiologically.

Last modified 2020-12-16 04:08:47
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.