noun
1. Science Fiction (Blade Runner, 1982). A bio-engineered or bio-robotic being created in the universe of Ridley Scott's film, Blade Runner. These artificial life forms, often derogatorily called "skin jobs", were created to perform slave labor and tasks deemed too dangerous for biological humans, but complex enough for a humanoid to be a necessary tool in the completion of said tasks. They are virtually identical to a human being, but have super strength, agility, and variable intelligence (depending on the model) with a shelf-life or life-span of approximately four years.
They became illegal, on Earth, after a bloody mutiny on off-world site, and are hunted down as dangerous machines to be put down, also known as "retired", by individuals known as "Blade Runners". The most often used method to identify a replicant is a test to expose their emotional responses and empathy, which are limited by design.
