transformism

[trans-fawr-miz-uhm]

noun

Biology.

1. the doctrine of gradual transformation of one species into another by descent with modification through many generations.

2. such transformation itself.

3. any doctrine or instance of evolution.

transformism

/ trænsˈfɔːmɪzəm /

noun

1. a less common word for evolution, used esp to refer to the theory of evolution

Other Word Forms

• transformist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of transformism¹

1875–80; transform + -ism, modeled on French transformisme

Example Sentences

The slightly war-worn evolution theory is now confronted by the Transformism of Hugo de Vries, who has shown in a most original manner that nature also proceeds by sudden leaps as well as in slow, orderly progress.

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It is not the rigid old-fashioned materialism, but a return to the more plastic theories of Lamarck and the transformism of the Dutch botanist, Hugo de Vries.

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There was general confusion, known as Transformism.

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In his own idiomatic language, he found at last that 'we must go the whole ourang;' and, deep as was the pang that the recantation cost him, he formally retracted the condemnation of 'transformism' in his earlier works, and accepted, however unwillingly, the theory he had so often and so deliberately rejected.

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M. Meunier gives at some length his reasons for rejecting Darwin's, Lamarck's, and all other theories of transformism.

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