astrobiologist
|as-tro-bi-ol-o-gist|
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/ˌæstroʊbaɪˈɑːlədʒɪst/
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/ˌæstrəʊbaɪˈɒlədʒɪst/
scientist who studies life in the universe
Etymology
'astrobiologist' originates from Modern English, specifically from the combining form 'astro-' (from Greek 'astron' meaning 'star') and 'biologist' (from 'biology' + '-ist'), where Greek 'bios' meant 'life' and 'logia' meant 'study'.
'astrobiologist' formed in the 20th century from 'astrobiology' (the scientific study of life in the universe) plus the agent suffix '-ist'; 'astro-' itself derives from Greek 'astron' and 'biology' ultimately from Greek 'bios' + 'logia' via New Latin and Modern English.
Initially the roots meant 'star' and 'study of life', and over time the compound came to mean specifically 'a scientist who studies life in the universe (including extraterrestrial life)'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a scientist who studies the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe, including life on Earth, other planets, moons, and the possibility of extraterrestrial life.
The astrobiologist analyzed samples from the Martian meteorite for signs of ancient microbes.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/07 18:36