Lifid

Lifid is a neologism used primarily in speculative writing and online discussions to describe entities or concepts that lie at the intersection of life and information. There is no widely accepted scientific definition or formal recognition in mainstream biology or cognitive science, and its usage varies across sources.

In fiction lifid is often used to name life-like agents that combine organic and digital characteristics, such as self-replicating bio-digital systems or AI-driven organisms that rely on information processing as a form of metabolism. In philosophical and theoretical debates about life, lifid functions as a placeholder term for discussing life criteria when the substrate is informational rather than material.

Common themes associated with lifid include autonomy, reproduction, adaptation, and a form of metabolism grounded in information processing, data exchange, or energy dissipation. Some writers use lifid to explore ethics, governance, and rights for non-biological living systems.

Etymology and status: The term appears to be a contemporary coinage formed from life and a suffix that is not tied to a single linguistic root; there is no authoritative etymology. Because it is not standardized, its precise meaning is highly context-dependent and defined by the author or community using it.

See also: Artificial life, Digital biology, Bioinformatics, Life-like agent, Biohybrid.