Gnotobiosis

/ˌnoʊtəbaɪˈoʊsɪs/ noun

Definition

The condition or state of being gnotobiotic; the life of an organism whose genetic makeup and all microorganisms are completely known.

Etymology

From Greek gnotos 'known' + biosis 'living' + -is (noun suffix). A modern biological term.

Kelly Says

Gnotobiosis sounds like science fiction—imagine living your entire life knowing every single bacterium in your body and having zero unknown germs—but scientists have been studying this since the 1940s.

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