Darwinian

American

[dahr-win-ee-uhn] / dɑrˈwɪn i ən /

adjective

(sometimes lowercase) pertaining to Charles Darwin or his doctrines.

noun

a follower of Charles Darwin; a person who accepts or advocates Darwinism.

Darwinian British

/ dɑːˈwɪnɪən /

adjective

of or relating to Charles Darwin or his theory of evolution by natural selection

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

a person who accepts, supports, or uses this theory

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of Darwinian

First recorded in 1855–60; Darwin + -ian

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Yet the crows offer a saving contrast to the Darwinian competition.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

It applied Darwinian logic to human activity - including fighting, feeding, comfort and sex.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026

"The world has become very Darwinian again," he warned.

From Barron's • Jan. 23, 2026

“Survivor” bowed for the first time before 9/11 and established itself as a Darwinian experiment with the motto “Outwit, Outplay, Outlast.”

From Salon • May 31, 2025

It is a Darwinian struggle, in which only the most fit or adaptable survive.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023