epigamic
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of epigamic
First recorded in 1885–90; from Greek epígam(os) “marriageable” ( see epi-, -gamous) + -ic
Explanation
In biology, epigamic features and behaviors, such as a male bird’s bright feathers or a special way of displaying them, help to attract a mate. In epigamic selection, members of one gender seek or choose a mate by displaying certain features or behaviors, e.g., brightly colored feathers or an elaborate dance. While epigamic traits may increase the chances of reproducing, they sometimes hinder survival chances. For example, a male peacock's massive, iridescent tail is a purely epigamic feature meant to attract peahens, but it's so big, it makes it harder to fly and escape from predators. Epigamic comes from the Greek word epigamos, "marriageable," from the root gamia, "the act of marrying."
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.
Scientists examining the ticklish subject have offered assorted explanations: mustaches are telltale signs of political conservatism or father worship, emblems of confident nonconformity, or "epigamic adornments designed to win mates, like phosphorescence in fireflies."
From Time Magazine Archive
Such similarities suggest either a common origin for certain aggressive and epigamic displays or the derivation of one from the other.
From Natural History of the Bell Vireo, Vireo bellii Audubon by Jon C. Barlow
A marked similarity will be detected between certain basic elements of aggressive and epigamic displays.
From Natural History of the Bell Vireo, Vireo bellii Audubon by Jon C. Barlow
Within the scope of my research it was difficult to detect the over-all sequence of epigamic displays that result in synchronization of the physiological states of the sexes throughout the period of courtship.
From Natural History of the Bell Vireo, Vireo bellii Audubon by Jon C. Barlow
A dummy Bell Vireo elicited both agonistic and epigamic behavior from nesting pairs, depending on the phase of the nesting cycle.
From Natural History of the Bell Vireo, Vireo bellii Audubon by Jon C. Barlow
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
