Lamarckian

American  

[luh-mahr-kee-uhn] / ləˈmɑr ki ən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Jean de Lamarck or his theory of organic evolution.

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noun

1. a person who holds this theory.

Lamarckian British  

/ lɑːˈmɑːkɪən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Lamarck

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noun

1. a supporter of Lamarckism

Etymology

Origin of Lamarckian

First recorded in 1840–50; Lamarck + -ian

Example Sentences

The various models proposed for the mechanism of evolution, such as Lamarckian evolution, orthogenesis, and use-disuse, all implied some level of teleology, that there was a directionality inherent in the process.

From Scientific American • Sep. 5, 2021

In the Lamarckian theory of evolution, changes in species occur not slowly over generational mutations, but within the lifetimes of individual animals.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2019

Although some researchers bristle at giving any credence to Lamarckian thinking, "The way plasticity can influence evolution really fits very comfortably in the general framework of how we think evolution works," Pfennig says.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 28, 2018

These stories fuelled my imagination about animal origins, albeit in an absurdist Lamarckian fashion.

From The Guardian • Nov. 29, 2016

The Lamarckian factors, however, have no reference to degrees of adaptation, any more than they have to degrees of complexity.

From Darwin, and After Darwin, Volume 2 Post-Darwinian Questions: Heredity and Utility by Romanes, George John