atavism

views updated May 17 2018

atavism The reappearance of a character after several generations, the character being the expression of a recessive gene or of complementary genes. The character, or individual possessing this character, is sometimes referred to as a ‘throw-back’.

A Dictionary of Plant Sciences MICHAEL ALLABY

atavism

views updated May 29 2018

atavism The reappearance of a character after several generations, the character being the expression of a recessive gene or of complementary genes. The character, or the individual possessing this character, is sometimes referred to as a ‘throw-back’.

A Dictionary of Ecology MICHAEL ALLABY

atavism

views updated May 29 2018

A Dictionary of Zoology MICHAEL ALLABY

atavism

views updated May 21 2018

atavism resemblance to remote ancestors rather than parents. XIX. — F. atavisme, f. L. atavus great-grandfather's grandfather, f. avus grandfather; see -ISM.
Hence atavistic XIX.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

atavism

views updated May 23 2018

atavism (at-ă-vizm) n. the phenomenon in which an individual has a character or disease known to have occurred in a remote ancestor but not in his parents.

A Dictionary of Nursing