atavism
/'ætəvizm/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A reappearance of an earlier characteristic: In biology and genetics, atavism refers to the phenomenon where a trait or characteristic that was present in distant ancestors but not in more recent generations suddenly reappears in an individual. 2. A throwback: More generally, it can describe any instance of reverting to an older or more primitive type, form, or mode of behavior.
Usage and Examples
- Noun:
- The birth of a whale with hind limb buds was considered a remarkable atavism, harkening back to its land-dwelling ancestors.
- His violent outburst was seen as an atavism, a disturbing throwback to a more primitive state of human behavior.
- In literature, the character's primal fear is an atavism that connects him to prehistoric man.
Advanced Usage
- "Atavistic fear/impulse": Describes a deep-seated, instinctive fear or urge believed to be inherited from ancient ancestors.
- An atavistic fear of the dark kept her awake at night.
- Used in sociological or cultural criticism to describe the re-emergence of outdated ideas or practices.
- The political movement was criticized as an atavism, reviving long-discredited nationalist ideologies.
Variants and Related Words
- Atavistic (adjective): Of or relating to atavism; reverting to or suggesting the characteristics of a remote ancestor.
- The painting evoked an atavistic connection to the earth.
Synonyms
- Throwback
- Reversion
- Regression (in a biological or behavioral context)
Antonyms
- Progression
- Advancement
- Evolution (in the sense of forward development)
Related Concepts
- Vestigial structure: A bodily part that has lost most or all of its original function through evolution (e.g., the human appendix). An atavism involves the full or partial of a functional structure that is normally vestigial or absent.
- Evolutionary biology: The field where this term is most precisely applied to describe the re-expression of ancestral genetic traits.
Noun
- a reappearance of an earlier characteristic