atavism

noun
UK: /ˈætəvɪzəm/
US: /ˈætəˌvɪzəm/

  1. A tendency to revert to something ancient or ancestral; resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents.

    1. His violent temper was an atavism to his pirate ancestors. [ ] [ ]
    2. The trait skipped a generation, showing atavism from a great-grandfather known for impulsive decisions. [ ] [ ]

  2. In biology, the reappearance of a characteristic after a period of absence, especially a characteristic present in a remote ancestor.

    1. The animal showed an atavism with the reappearance of stripes. [ ] [ ]
    2. This sudden reappearance of the archaic trait in the species is a clear example of atavism. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

reversion regression throwback recurrence

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "atavism" in English means: A tendency to revert to something ancient or ancestral; resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents., In biology, the reappearance of a characteristic after a period of absence, especially a characteristic present in a remote ancestor..

The phonetic transcription of "atavism" is /ˈætəvɪzəm/ in British English and /ˈætəˌvɪzəm/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "atavism": reversion, regression, throwback, recurrence.

Example usage of "atavism": "His violent temper was an atavism to his pirate ancestors.". More examples on the page.