palingenesis Hear it!

palingenesis definition

pal·in·gen·esis (pal′in jen′ə sis)

noun

  1. a new birth; regeneration
  2. metempsychosis
  3. that phase in the development of an individual plant or animal which theoretically repeats the evolutionary history of the taxonomic group to which it belongs; recapitulation

Etymology: ModL < Gr palin, again (see palindrome) + genesis, birth, genesis)

Related Forms:

  • palingenetic pal′·in·ge·net′·ic (-jə net′ik) adjective

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

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.