La·marck·ism (l -mär k z m) also La·marck·i·an·ism (-k --nzm)n. A theory of biological evolution holding that species evolve by the inheritance of traits acquired or modified through the use or disuse of body parts. [After Chevalier de Jean Baptiste Pierre Antoine de Monet Lamarck.] |
Lamarckism
the theory of organic evolution advanced by the French naturalist Lamarck that characteristics acquired by habit, diseases, or adaptations to change in environment may be inherited. — Lamarckian, n., adj.
See also: Evolution
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. | Lamarckism - a theory of organic evolution claiming that acquired characteristics are transmitted to offspring evolutionism, theory of evolution, theory of organic evolution - (biology) a scientific theory of the origin of species of plants and animals Neo-Lamarckism - a modern Lamarckian theory emphasizing the importance of environmental factors in genetic changes and retaining the notion of the inheritance of acquired characters |
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