atavist

Variant of atavism

atavism definition

ata·vism (at′ə viz′əm)

noun

  1. appearance in an individual of some characteristic found in a remote ancestor but not in nearer ancestors
    1. such a characteristic
    2. an individual with such a characteristic
      also atavist at′a·vist

Etymology: Fr atavisme < L atavus, father of a great-grandfather, ancestor < at-, beyond + avus, grandfather < IE *ati, beyond + *awos, maternal grandfather

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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