exaptation

[ eg-zap-tey-shuhn, ek-sap- ]

nounBiology.
  1. a process in which a feature acquires a function that was not acquired through natural selection.

  2. a feature having a function for which it was not originally adapted or selected.

  1. a morphological or physiological feature that predisposes an organism to adapt to a different environment or lifestyle.

  2. 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. 2024