biohacking: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal, Technical
Quick answer
What does “biohacking” mean?
The practice of making deliberate, often DIY, interventions in one's own biology using technology, nutrition, or supplements to enhance physical or cognitive performance.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The practice of making deliberate, often DIY, interventions in one's own biology using technology, nutrition, or supplements to enhance physical or cognitive performance.
A broad movement encompassing self-experimentation with biology, from tracking personal health data (quantified self) to more extreme body modifications like implanting technology or experimenting with nootropics and genetics.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. The term is used identically in both varieties.
Connotations
Slightly stronger association with Silicon Valley/tech culture in American usage. In British usage, it may be more frequently linked to the 'quantified self' movement.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English due to the prominence of the tech and startup culture where the term originated.
Grammar
How to Use “biohacking” in a Sentence
[Subject] is biohacking [their body/health].[Subject] engages in biohacking.The biohacking of [noun phrase].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “biohacking” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He's been biohacking his sleep cycle with light therapy.
- They biohack to improve their cognitive focus.
American English
- She's biohacking her metabolism with a new supplement stack.
- The community biohacks for fun and knowledge.
adverb
British English
- (Rarely used) He approaches health very biohackingly, always measuring and tweaking.
American English
- (Rarely used) She lives biohackingly, constantly experimenting on herself.
adjective
British English
- The biohacking scene in London is growing.
- He attended a biohacking workshop.
American English
- She follows a strict biohacking protocol.
- It's a popular biohacking tool among tech executives.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in startup pitches for health-tech, wellness, and supplement companies (e.g., 'Our app is for the biohacking community').
Academic
Used critically in bioethics, sociology, and STS (Science and Technology Studies) papers to discuss citizen science and ethical boundaries.
Everyday
Used informally to describe intense personal health tracking or experimenting with diets/supplements for better sleep or energy.
Technical
Used in biotechnology and synthetic biology circles to refer to amateur or open-source genetic engineering.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “biohacking”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “biohacking”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “biohacking”
- Using 'biohacking' to refer to any healthy lifestyle choice (it implies systematic experimentation, not just eating well).
- Spelling as two words: 'bio hacking'.
- Confusing it with 'biopiracy' or 'bioprospecting'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on the activity. Many aspects, like diet tracking, are legal. However, self-experimentation with unapproved drugs, genetic material, or implanting medical devices can be illegal and dangerous.
'Quantified self' focuses primarily on data collection and monitoring (e.g., tracking steps, heart rate). Biohacking is the active intervention based on that data to change one's biology.
Supervised, low-intervention biohacking (like structured diet changes based on blood tests) can be relatively safe. High-risk activities (DIY gene editing, implant surgery) are extremely dangerous and not considered safe by medical professionals.
Josiah Zayner, a former NASA scientist, is a prominent and controversial figure known for self-experimentation with CRISPR gene-editing technology.
The practice of making deliberate, often DIY, interventions in one's own biology using technology, nutrition, or supplements to enhance physical or cognitive performance.
Biohacking is usually informal, technical in register.
Biohacking: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbaɪ.əʊˌhæk.ɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbaɪ.oʊˌhæk.ɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To hack one's own biology”
- “A biohacker's mindset”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: BIOlogy + HACKING. Just like computer hackers tweak code, biohackers tweak their own biological 'code' and systems.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE BODY IS A MACHINE / A COMPUTER SYSTEM that can be reprogrammed, optimized, and debugged.
Practice
Quiz
Which of these activities is LEAST likely to be described as biohacking?