English Reference
Noun

cyborg

n. countable
C1 Advanced US /ˈsaɪbɔɹɡ/ UK /sˈaɪbɔːɡ/ cy·borg UK spelling cyborgs

n.a person whose body is part human and part machine. This usually means they have electronic or mechanical parts that help them do things better.

n.a person whose physical abilities are extended beyond normal human limitations by mechanical elements built into the body. Short for 'cybernetic organism'.


SIMPLE

The movie features a cyborg with a robotic arm.

CONTEXTUAL

In many science fiction stories, a cyborg struggles to balance their human emotions with their mechanical logic.

COMPLEX

As medical technology advances, the line between a patient with a pacemaker and a true cyborg becomes increasingly blurred in philosophical debates about transhumanism.

Usage

Often used in science fiction contexts; can be used metaphorically for people heavily integrated with technology.

In 2013, Backyard Brains developed the crowdfunded RoboRoach , a DIY kit that enabled users to transform cockroaches from pests into remote-controlled cyborgs, just by performing a bit of (rather gruesome) surgery.

Ars Technica· 3 Aug 2026

Blend of cybernetic + organism. Coined by Austrian neuroscientist Manfred Clynes in 1960.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated