exaptation
[ eg-zap-tey-shuhn, ek-sap- ]
nounBiology.
a process in which a feature acquires a function that was not acquired through natural selection.
a feature having a function for which it was not originally adapted or selected.
a morphological or physiological feature that predisposes an organism to adapt to a different environment or lifestyle.
predisposition toward adaptation.
Other words from exaptation
- ex·apt·ed, adjective
- ex·ap·tive [eg-zap-tiv, ig-, ek-sap-], /ɛgˈzæp tɪv, ɪg-, ɛkˈsæp-/, adjective
Words Nearby exaptation
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
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