phenetic

[ fi-net-ik ]

adjective

, Biology.

1. pertaining to or based on the observable similarities and differences between organisms without regard to assumed genealogy.

Word History and Origins

Origin of phenetic¹

1960; phen- (extracted from phenotype, or directly from Greek phaínein “to show”; pheno- ) + -etic, perhaps on the model of phyletic or phylogenetic ( def )