atavism
[ at-uh-viz-uh m ]
/ ˈæt əˌvɪz əm /
noun
Biology.
- the reappearance in an individual of characteristics of some remote ancestor that have been absent in intervening generations.
- an individual embodying such a reversion.
reversion to an earlier type; throwback.
Origin of atavism
1825–35; < Latin
atav(us) remote ancestor (
at-, akin to
atta familiar name for a grandfather +
avus grandfather, forefather) +
-ism
OTHER WORDS FROM atavism
at·a·vist, nounWords nearby atavism
ataraxia,
atascadero,
ataturk, kemal,
atatürk,
atavic,
atavism,
atavistic,
ataxia,
ataxia telangiectasia,
ataxiaphasia,
ataxic
Example sentences from the Web for atavism
British Dictionary definitions for atavism
atavism
/ (ˈætəˌvɪzəm) /
noun
the recurrence in a plant or animal of certain primitive characteristics that were present in an ancestor but have not occurred in intermediate generations
reversion to a former or more primitive type
Derived forms of atavism
atavist, noun atavic (əˈtævɪk), adjectiveWord Origin for atavism
C19: from French
atavisme, from Latin
atavus strictly: great-grandfather's grandfather, probably from
atta daddy +
avus grandfather
Medical definitions for atavism
atavism
[ ăt′ə-vĭz′əm ]
n.
The appearance of characteristics that are presumed to have been present in some remote ancestor; reversion to an earlier biological type.