missing link

/'misiɳliɳk/
Học thuật
Thân thiện
missing link

A scientist carefully examines a fossil skull of the missing link.

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • A hypothetical organism once believed to be the transitional form between apes and humans: The term refers to a theoretical, undiscovered fossil that would demonstrate a direct evolutionary connection between non-human primates and modern humans.
    • A crucial missing element in a sequence or argument: More broadly, it can refer to any absent component that is necessary to complete a chain of evidence, understanding, or development.
Usage Examples
  • Noun (Anthropology/Evolution):
    • For decades, paleontologists searched for the missing link in human evolution.
    • The discovery was initially hailed by some as the elusive missing link.
  • Noun (General Use):
    • The detective felt the suspect's alibi was the missing link in the case.
    • This new data provides the missing link between the two theories.
Advanced Usage
  • "to be the missing link": To be the essential, previously unknown piece that completes a puzzle or explains a connection.
    • The ancient trade route was the missing link that explained the cultural similarities.
  • Often used with definitive articles () or possessive forms (), emphasizing its role as a singular, key component.
Variants and Related Words
  • Gap (n): A more general term for a break in continuity or an empty space.
  • Connecting link (n): An element that joins two parts, but without the implication that it was previously lost or unknown.
Synonyms
  • Transitional form: (Specifically in evolutionary biology) An intermediate state in a lineage.
  • Linchpin: A central cohesive element, though this implies something currently present and holding things together, not something absent.
  • Key piece: An essential part.
Related Phrases
  • Bridge the gap: To connect two disparate things, often by providing the missing link.
    • This research bridges the gap between laboratory studies and real-world application.
Related Idioms
  • The last piece of the puzzle: A very similar idiom meaning the final element needed for complete understanding.
    • Her testimony was the last piece of the puzzle for the jury.
missing link

A scientist carefully examines a fossil skull of the missing link.

Noun
  1. hypothetical organism formerly thought to be intermediate between apes and human beings

Từ đồng nghĩa