Definition

Proper noun: * Jean Baptiste de Lamarck: A French naturalist and biologist who proposed an early, influential theory of biological evolution. His theory, now known as Lamarckism, posited that organisms could pass on to their offspring physical traits acquired or modified through use or disuse during their lifetime.

Usage

• Proper noun:
  • The concept of the inheritance of acquired characteristics is most famously associated with Jean Baptiste de Lamarck.
  • Before Charles Darwin, Jean Baptiste de Lamarck presented a comprehensive theory of evolution.

Advanced Usage

• Lamarckian (adj): Pertaining to the evolutionary theories of Lamarck.
  • The idea that a giraffe's neck lengthens over generations because it stretches for leaves is a Lamarckian concept.
• Lamarckism (n): The theory of evolution based on the inheritance of acquired characteristics.
  • While Lamarckism has been largely superseded by modern genetics, it was a crucial step in the history of evolutionary thought.

Variants and Related Words

• Lamarck (n): A common shortened reference to Jean Baptiste de Lamarck.
  • The work of Lamarck influenced many 19th-century biologists.
• Lamarckian inheritance (n): The specific mechanism proposed by Lamarck.

Synonyms

• Naturalist: A student of or expert in natural history.
• Evolutionist: A person who believes in or supports the theory of evolution. (Note: This is a broader term that includes Lamarck and others.)

Related Terms and Concepts

• Inheritance of acquired characteristics: The core tenet of Lamarck's theory.
• Use and disuse: The Lamarckian principle that an organ strengthens with use and weakens with disuse.
• Transformism: An early 19th-century term for the theory that species change over time, often associated with Lamarck's work.

Noun

1. French naturalist who proposed that evolution resulted from the inheritance of acquired characteristics (1744-1829)