insular dwarfism

[ in-suh-ler dwawr-fiz-uhm, ins-yuh‐ ]

/ ˈɪn sə lər ˈdwɔr fɪz əm, ˈɪns yə‐ /

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noun Biology.

the process or result of evolving over many generations from an animal of standard size to one of much reduced size, especially evidenced on islands, where the contained environment limits the species’ range and available resources, as exemplified by the island fox, which inhabits the Channel Islands of California: insular dwarfism also occurs in certain plant species, but the studies of such are relatively limited.

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Also called is·land dwarf·ism .

Origin of insular dwarfism

First recorded in 1950–55

Words nearby insular dwarfism

insufflation anesthesia, insula, insulant, insular, Insular Celtic, insular dwarfism, insular gigantism, insularity, insularize, insulate, insulating tape

How to use insular dwarfism in a sentence

The Pritzker transforms architects from being merely good practitioners in a fairly insular field into global celebrities.
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But the sad reality is that the comics industry is too insular to foster any kind of radical change.
DC Comics’ Diversity Crisis: Why the Status Quo Rules|Liz Watson|July 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
All this observation and self-observation possibly says something very depressing about how insular and self-obsessing we are.
Watching Us, Watching Them: On ‘The People’s Couch’|Tim Teeman|March 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Doing so, he highlighted the degree to which creationism is a decidedly incurious, insular worldview.
The Bill Nye-Ken Ham Debate Was a Nightmare for Science|Michael Schulson|February 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The Executive is elected in broad national elections in which discrete and insular minorities carry less weight.
Senate Democrats Just Took Us a Step Closer to the Imperial Presidency|David Frum|December 1, 2013|DAILY BEAST
From this point of view, the superiority of the continental over the insular colonies was not to be doubted.
The Eve of the Revolution|Carl Becker
Horses and dresses are found in the insular forms, but, so far, I have not found a single instance of the tournament.
The Three Days' Tournament|Jessie L. Weston
The true causes of the depression were not within the control of the Insular Government or of any ruling factor.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
Of the taxes accruing to the Insular Treasury under the above law, 10 per cent.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
The insular failing is elsewhere frequently displayed by the poet in the trying light cast from a misanthrope genius.
A Cursory History of Swearing|Julian Sharman