In the 2nd Aliens movie (called, oddly enough, Aliens) they introduced a term that seems to have been universally misunderstood.
“Xenomorph.”
Definitely a xenomorph, but so is a cat.
This has been taken to be the name of the face-hugging species from the Alien franchise. Does no one speak any Latin or Greek any more? Or even listen closely to the dialog?
Xenomorph means (roughly translated) other shape. As in not a human shape. When the jerk lieutenant in that movie said, “and a Xenomorph may be involved” he was saying “something not in any way mistakable for humanoid may be involved.”
Come on People! That’s all it means. A cat is a xenomorph. So is a star fish.
The aliens in Aliens do not have a species name. I propose “Slobberites” given all the spit they dribble all over the place. I know some one will think “Face Huggers” should be their name; but that’s only one stage in their growth cycle. It would be like naming Humans “Children” instead. Hmm… that might be more accurate, come to think of it.
Actually all that slobber is one of the (several) major technical problems with those aliens; that’s a lot of water they just throw away through mere sloppiness. Yet most of the movies show absolutely no source of so much water (nor so much protein to make so many soldiers out of, either). Geez…
Xenomorph. Not of humanoid shape. That’s all.
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