natural selection

American  

[nach-er-uhl si-lek-shuhn, nach-ruhl] / ˈnætʃ ər əl sɪˈlɛk ʃən, ˈnætʃ rəl /

noun

1. the process by which forms of life having traits that better enable them to adapt to specific environmental pressures, as predators, changes in climate, or competition for food or mates, will tend to survive and reproduce in greater numbers than others of their kind, thus ensuring the perpetuation of those favorable traits in succeeding generations.

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natural selection British  

noun

1. a process resulting in the survival of those individuals from a population of animals or plants that are best adapted to the prevailing environmental conditions. The survivors tend to produce more offspring than those less well adapted, so that the characteristics of the population change over time, thus accounting for the process of evolution

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natural selection Scientific  

1. The process by which organisms that are better suited to their environment than others produce more offspring. As a result of natural selection, the proportion of organisms in a species with characteristics that are adaptive to a given environment increases with each generation. Therefore, natural selection modifies the originally random variation of genetic traits in a species so that alleles that are beneficial for survival predominate, while alleles that are not beneficial decrease. Originally proposed by Charles Darwin, natural selection forms the basis of the process of evolution.

2. See Notes at adaptation evolution Compare artificial selection

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natural selection Cultural  

1. A process fundamental to evolution as described by Charles Darwin. By natural selection, any characteristic of an individual that allows it to survive to produce more offspring will eventually appear in every individual of the species, simply because those members will have more offspring.

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Discover More

The expression survival of the fittest was used to describe this process in the nineteenth century but is not favored by modern scientists.

Etymology

Origin of natural selection

First recorded in 1855–60

Compare meaning

How does natural-selection compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• natural selection vs. artificial selection
• sexual selection vs. natural selection

Example Sentences

These formats—long associated with bargain hunting in the U.S.—are finding resonance in China as consumers chase curated selection, private labels, and perceived value in an era of heightened price sensitivity.

From Barron's • Mar. 7, 2026

And with a curated selection of chase scenes, the show has traction.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 22, 2026

Under the content deal, fans will be able to start making their own video in early 2026, of which Disney will begin posting a curated selection on its streaming platform, Disney+.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 11, 2025

The event was originally known as the “Festival of Festivals,” meaning that it has always been a part of its mission to present a curated selection of the year’s best films.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 4, 2025

There are still ways to stand out - the platform recommends games based on users' playing habits and regularly runs promotions which push a curated selection of games on to homepages.

From BBC • Nov. 29, 2024