homoplasy

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

noun

, Biology.

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

Other Words From

• ho·mo·plas·tic [hoh-m, uh, -, plas, -tik, hom-, uh, -], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of homoplasy¹

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