Atavistic: meaning, definitions and examples

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atavistic

 

[ ˌætəˈvɪstɪk ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

in biology

Relating to or characterized by atavism; reverting to an earlier type or ancestral trait.

Synonyms

ancestral, primitive, retrogressive, throwback.

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Word Description / Examples
atavistic

Describe something that seems to come from the distant past, often used in a figurative sense.

  • His atavistic fears of the dark made him keep a nightlight on.
  • The artwork has an atavistic quality, resembling cave paintings.
primitive

Refers to something from the early stages of development, often implying simplicity or lack of sophistication. Can have a negative connotation.

  • The tribe used primitive tools for hunting.
  • His understanding of the technology is quite primitive.
ancestral

Relate to something inherited from ancestors or family history, often used in a positive or neutral context.

  • She visited her ancestral home in Scotland.
  • They have an ancestral tradition of gathering every summer.
throwback

Describe something or someone that resembles an earlier time, usually used in a nostalgic or slightly negative context.

  • Her fashion sense is a throwback to the 1980s.
  • The band's music is a throwback to classic rock.
retrogressive

Refer to something that is moving backward or becoming less advanced, often used in a negative context.

  • The new policy is a retrogressive step for women's rights.
  • The disease caused a retrogressive degeneration of her muscles.

Examples of usage

  • The atavistic behavior displayed by the rare albino gorilla fascinated scientists.
  • She had an atavistic fear of the dark, a primal instinct she couldn't shake.
  • The atavistic features in the ancient breed of horses amazed the researchers.
  • His atavistic instincts kicked in when he found himself in a survival situation.
  • The atavistic tendencies in the species were a subject of evolutionary study.

Translations

Translations of the word "atavistic" in other languages:

🇵🇹 atavístico

🇮🇳 आदिमता

🇩🇪 atavistisch

🇮🇩 atavistik

🇺🇦 атавістичний

🇵🇱 atwistyczny

🇯🇵 先祖返り的 (せんぞがえりてき)

🇫🇷 atavique

🇪🇸 atavístico

🇹🇷 atavistik

🇰🇷 태고적 (taegojeok)

🇸🇦 سلفي

🇨🇿 atavistický

🇸🇰 atavistický

🇨🇳 返祖的 (fǎnzǔ de)

🇸🇮 atavističen

🇮🇸 fornleifafræðilegur

🇰🇿 атавистік

🇬🇪 ატავისტური

🇦🇿 atavistik

🇲🇽 atavístico

Etymology

The word atavistic originated from the Latin word 'atavus', meaning ancestor. It was first used in the mid-19th century to describe the reversion to an earlier ancestral type or trait. The concept of atavism has been studied in biology and psychology to understand the recurrence of ancestral characteristics in individuals. It reflects the idea of evolution and the persistence of genetic traits over generations. The term atavistic is commonly used in scientific contexts to describe the manifestation of ancient traits in modern organisms.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #31,004 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.