genetic engineer

English

Etymology

Coined by Poul Anderson in his 1954 novella "Big Rain", after the term genetic engineering.

Noun

genetic engineer (plural genetic engineers)

1. A scientist or engineer whose specialty is genetic engineering.
   • 1954 October, Poul Anderson, “Big Rain”, in Astounding Science Fiction, volume 54, number 2, page 22:

     Meanwhile giant pulverizers were reducing barren stone and sand to fine particles which would be mixed with fertilizers to yield soil; and the genetic engineers were evolving still other strains of life which could provide a balanced ecology; and the water units were under construction.

   • 1966 June, New Scientist, page 762:

     The culture of embryos in the laboratory, destined to develop into adults whose physical and, possibly, intellectual characteristics had been chosen in advance by the genetic engineers.

Translations

scientist or engineer

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 基因工程師／基因工程师 (jīyīn gōngchéngshī)

• Danish: genforsker c
• Finnish: geeni-insinööri, geenitutkija
• Galician: enxeñeiro xenético m
• Romanian: inginer genetician m

References

• Jeff Prucher, editor (2007), “genetic engineer”, in Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction, Oxford, Oxfordshire, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, pages 77–78.
• Jesse Sheidlower, editor (2001–2024), “genetic engineer n.”, in Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction.