biohack: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1-C2 / Low-frequency technical termInformal, technical, sometimes journalistic
Quick answer
What does “biohack” mean?
To manipulate one's own biology, diet, or lifestyle using experimental techniques or technology to enhance physical or cognitive performance.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To manipulate one's own biology, diet, or lifestyle using experimental techniques or technology to enhance physical or cognitive performance.
More broadly, to engage in biological experimentation, often through DIY methods or citizen science, to alter living systems (including one's own body, plants, or microorganisms).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling differences. US usage is slightly more prevalent due to the prominence of tech/health subcultures in Silicon Valley.
Connotations
Similar connotations of fringe science, self-optimisation, and sometimes risk. May carry a slightly more critical or sensationalist tone in UK media.
Frequency
More frequent in American English, but the term is recognisable in both.
Grammar
How to Use “biohack” in a Sentence
biohack [something]biohack your [noun]biohack to [verb]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “biohack” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He decided to biohack his caffeine tolerance by cycling supplements.
- The documentary looked at people who biohack to improve their focus.
American English
- She's biohacking her metabolism with a strict fasting app.
- They meet up to biohack solutions for seasonal allergies.
adjective
British English
- He's part of a biohack community in London.
- The biohack approach raised some safety concerns.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
In health-tech startups: 'The company's mission is to biohack ageing.'
Academic
In bioethics or STS (Science and Technology Studies) papers: 'The paper analyses the socio-ethical implications of the biohacking movement.'
Everyday
Rare; mostly in tech/health conversations: 'He's always trying to biohack his sleep cycle with weird gadgets.'
Technical
In synthetic biology or quantified-self communities: 'The lab provides a space for amateurs to safely biohack yeast strains.'
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “biohack”
- Using it to mean 'hack into biological databases' (cyber-bio).
- Confusing it with standard healthcare or fitness ('I biohack by going to the gym' is a weak use).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on the activity. Self-experimentation on one's own body is generally legal, but modifying organisms (especially pathogens) or using unapproved medical devices can be illegal or highly regulated.
Biohacking is often a practical, hands-on set of activities. Transhumanism is a broader philosophical movement advocating for the use of technology to enhance human capabilities and transcend biological limitations. Biohacking can be a subset of transhumanist practice.
Yes, in DIY biology (DIY bio), 'biohacking' commonly refers to citizen science experiments with plants, microorganisms, or other living systems outside formal labs.
Yes, it's a common derivative for a person who engages in biohacking, especially within relevant communities and media reports.
To manipulate one's own biology, diet, or lifestyle using experimental techniques or technology to enhance physical or cognitive performance.
Biohack is usually informal, technical, sometimes journalistic in register.
Biohack: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbaɪ.əʊ.hæk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbaɪ.oʊ.hæk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “hack your body”
- “DIY human”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'BIOlogy' + 'HACK' into a computer. You're hacking into your own biology like it's a system to be reprogrammed.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE BODY IS A MACHINE / THE BODY IS SOFTWARE (that can be reprogrammed, optimised, and debugged).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'biohack' most correctly?