homoplasy

[huh-mop-luh-see, hoh-muh-plas-ee, -pley-see, hom-uh-]

noun Biology.

correspondence in form or structure, owing to a similar environment.

Origin of homoplasy

First recorded in 1865–70; homo- + -plasy

Related formsho·mo·plas·tic

[hoh-muh-plas-tik, hom-uh-] /ˌhoʊ məˈplæs tɪk, ˌhɒm ə-/, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018