noun
atavism
AT-uh-viz-um/ˈætʌvɪzʌm/
The reappearance of a trait or behavior from distant ancestors or an earlier time.
The biologist describes the ancestral trait's reappearance as an atavism.
Etymology
The ancestor root points to a return of inherited characteristics: a trait reappears in an organism after being absent for generations, making it resemble a remote forebear.
In context
a sign of atavism, transforming toward a true divine-beast
More examples
- An atavism may reveal a feature absent for many generations.
- The critic called the return to tribal feuds a social atavism.
- Researchers distinguish inherited atavisms from newly developed traits.
Forms
atavism · atavisms
atavistic adjective — Resembling distant ancestors or an earlier state.
Similar words
- throwback
- Is a less technical term for a return to an earlier form.
- reversion
- Can describe any return to a previous condition.