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nonlife

nonlife

8.2
Things that are not alive, like rocks and water
  • noun
  • /ˈnɒnˌlaɪf/
translation icon : no vida
  • "The general theory of evolution, however," proposes the origination of the universe and Earth through natural processes and the naturalistic development of life from nonlife. "In Bird's view, a comparison of the premises of these two perspectives shows "direct contradiction." (n25)

Examples

  • Scientists study how life originated from nonlife through various natural processes.

  • In biology class, we learned about the transition from nonlife to cellular life as being fundamental to evolution.

  • The concept of nonlife includes all materials and entities that do not exhibit biological functions.

Synonyms

inanimateness
vsnonlife
9.8

Lack of life or movement in things

focuses on absence of life rather than on consciousness

Antonyms

alive
∞ 1.0

Still present and not dead

Surface Forms

nonlife singular
nonlives plural

Morphology

nonlife = life (transparent) = non + life

Literal negation of 'life' by the productive prefix 'non-'; meaning 'not alive' is directly signalled.

Etymology

Nonlife is made of non- 'not' and life 'living', so it simply means 'not life', like 'lifeless' or things that are 'not alive'. That is why it is used for things without life, such as rocks, water, or minerals.