at·a·vism ( t  -v z m)n. 1. The reappearance of a characteristic in an organism after several generations of absence, usually caused by the chance recombination of genes. 2. An individual or a part that exhibits atavism. Also called throwback. 3. The return of a trait or recurrence of previous behavior after a period of absence. [French atavisme, from Latin atavus, ancestor : atta, father + avus, grandfather; see awo- in Indo-European roots.] at a·vist n.at a·vistic adj.at a·visti·cal·ly adv. |
atavism [at-a-viz-zum]
Noun
1. the recurrence of primitive characteristics that were present in distant ancestors but not in more recent ones
2. reversion to a former type [Latin atavus great-grandfather's grandfather, ancestor]
atavistic adj
atavism
the reappearance in the present of a characteristic belonging to a remote ancestor. — atavist, n. — atavistic, adj.
See also: Ancestors
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. | atavism - a reappearance of an earlier characteristic recurrence, return - happening again (especially at regular intervals); "the return of spring" |
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