atavism
The reappearance of an ancestral characteristic in an organism after several…The reappearance of an ancestral characteristic in an organism after several generations of absence; a throwback.
Meaning
3 senses(countable, uncountable)The reappearance of an ancestral characteristic in an organism after several generations of absence; a throwback.
Atavismus
атави́змatavízm
a reappearance of an earlier characteristic
(countable, uncountable)The recurrence or reversion to a past behaviour, method, characteristic or style after a long period of absence.
(countable, uncountable)A reversion to past primitive behavior, especially violence.
Translations
7 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
Borrowed from French atavisme.. By surface analysis, at- (“to”) + Latin av(us) (“grandfathBorrowed from French atavisme.. By surface analysis, at- (“to”) + Latin av(us) (“grandfather, ancestor”) + -ism. Compare ancestorism.
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Forms
plural: atavismsSynonyms
2 synonymsWord family
4 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable