bio-code

See also: biocode and BioCode

English

Noun

bio-code (plural bio-codes)

1. A biochemical signal or marker, especially one used for security purposes.
   • 1998, Apparel International: The Journal of the Clothing and Footwear:

     Security features now being incorporated by the company include bar codes, deliberate errors, special background designs, micro-printing, UV-recognition and the use of bio-codes.

   • 2002, Far Eastern Economic Review - Volume 165, page 38:

     The covert methods used to differentiate genuine products from fakes include special ink, bio-codes and bank-note-style design features recognizable to the legitimate drug manufacturers.

   • 2004, Valerie Connelly, Sidetracks, →ISBN, page 183:

     Someone will eventually figure out the secrets of Orson's vision. But no one will be able to reproduce it. He's made sure of that with the bio-codes and micro-bio-infusers.

2. A signal consisting of a biological action.
   • 1997, The Calabar Counsellor - Volume 1, Issue 1, page 16:

     Some of the sad, intriguing varieties-of this phenomenon which have been documented in Nigeria include: (i) Illegal exchange of information, written or verbal (for example, by copying or giraffing,' use of drums, flutes and bio-codes such as coughing, sneezing and whistling) to help candidates answer objective questions.

   • 2011, Gabriel S. de Anda, Scissors, Rock and Paper Doll, →ISBN:

     Muse willed the change, swallowing and carefully constricting the epiglottis in a series of timed bio-codes that had taken her a long time to master.

Verb

bio-code (third-person singular simple present bio-codes, present participle bio-coding, simple past and past participle bio-coded)

1. To mark using a bio-code.
   • 2000, Uganda Parliament, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard):

     A system marking fuel with a chemical (bio-coding) has been put in place as a way of reducing fuel smuggling into the country.

   • 2005, Kenya. Ministry of Planning and National Development, United Nations Development Programme (Kenya), Millennium development goals in Kenya: needs & costs, page 175:

     Kerosene is currently bio-coded and there are already penalties for such malpractices, but detecting the presence of kerosene in other oil products is difficult for the common person because it is colourless.

   • 2013, Shiv Ramdas, Domechild, →ISBN:

     He could ensure the door remained closed; that bit was easy. It was bio-coded and would respond only to him, but there was no way to ensure that she wouldn't yell and scream.

   • 2015, Peter Öberg, Hans Olsson, Boel Bermann, Waiting for the Machines to Fall Asleep, →ISBN:

     It wasn't even bio-coded, anyone could use it!