neo-Darwinism

[ nee-oh-dahr-wi-niz-uhm ]

/ ˌni oʊˈdɑr wɪˌnɪz əm /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for neo-Darwinism on Thesaurus.com

noun Biology.

the theory of evolution as expounded by later students of Charles Darwin, especially Weismann, holding that natural selection accounts for evolution and denying the inheritance of acquired characters.

any modern theory of evolution holding that species evolve by natural selection acting on genetic variation.

QUIZ

GOOSES. GEESES. I WANT THIS QUIZ ON PLURAL NOUNS!

Test how much you really know about regular and irregular plural nouns with this quiz.

Question 1 of 9

Which of the following nouns has an irregular plural form?

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of neo-Darwinism

First recorded in 1900–05

OTHER WORDS FROM neo-Darwinism

ne·o-Dar·win·i·an, adjective, nounne·o-Dar·win·ist, noun

Words nearby neo-Darwinism

neoconservatism, neocortex, neocyanine, neocystostomy, neo-dada, neo-Darwinism, neodymium, neoencephalon, neo-expressionism, neofascism, neoformation

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use neo-Darwinism in a sentence

Duke was a state representative whose neo-Nazi alliances were disgorged in media reports during his run for governor in 1991.
The Price of Steve Scalise’s Silence|Jason Berry|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Although Southern did not automatically equal neo-Confederate, at times the distinction could easily get lost.
Steve Scalise Shows There’s a Fine Line Between Confederate & Southern|Lloyd Green|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
But damn, the music is catchy—a neo-soul aural assault of horns, electro swirls, yelps, funky basslines, and harmonized vocals.
The 14 Best Songs of 2014: Bobby Shmurda, Future Islands, Drake, and More|Marlow Stern|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In contrast to Obamacare, a neo-WPA would have been a difficult target for the GOP.
Time to Bring Back the Truman Democrats|Joel Kotkin|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Donetsk, formerly a make-believe republic, is turning into a little neo-Soviet state.
East Ukraine: Back in the USSR|Jamie Dettmer|November 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At a time when Darwinism was bringing a sword into the intellectual world, he lived apparently uninterested and untouched by it.
The Life of Mazzini|Bolton King
The Neo-conservative programme should tell us what is meant by the liberties of the people.
The Contemporary Review, January 1883|Various
This is what the "Neo-conservatives" propose to do with their recent discovery.
The Contemporary Review, January 1883|Various
This is a field in which Neo-conservatism can reap no harvest.
The Contemporary Review, January 1883|Various
It was in the Neo valley that the supreme efforts of the earthquake were manifested.
A Study of Recent Earthquakes|Charles Davison

British Dictionary definitions for neo-Darwinism

Neo-Darwinism

/ (ˌniːəʊˈdɑːwɪnˌɪzəm) /

noun

the modern version of the Darwinian theory of evolution, which incorporates the principles of genetics to explain how inheritable variations can arise by mutation

Derived forms of Neo-Darwinism

Neo-Darwinian, adjective, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for neo-Darwinism

Neo-Darwinism

[ nē′ō-där′wə-nĭz′əm ]

Darwinism as modified by the findings of modern genetics.

Scientific definitions for neo-Darwinism

Neo-Darwinism

[ nē′ō-där′wə-nĭz′əm ]

Darwinism as modified by the findings of modern genetics, stating that mutations due to random copying errors in DNA cause variation within a population of individual organisms and that natural selection acts upon these variations.