vestigial
[ ve-stij-ee-uh l, -stij-uh l ]
/ vɛˈstɪdʒ i əl, -ˈstɪdʒ əl /
adjective
of, relating to, or of the nature of a vestige: a vestigial tail.
Words nearby vestigial
OTHER WORDS FROM vestigial
ves·tig·i·al·ly, adverbDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for vestigial
British Dictionary definitions for vestigial
vestigial
/ (vɛˈstɪdʒɪəl) /
adjective
of, relating to, or being a vestige
(of certain organs or parts of organisms) having attained a simple structure and reduced size and function during the evolution of the speciesthe vestigial pelvic girdle of a snake
Derived forms of vestigial
vestigially, adverbCollins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Medical definitions for vestigial
vestigial
[ vĕ-stĭj′ē-əl, -stĭj′əl ]
adj.
Occurring or persisting as a rudimentary or degenerate structure.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Scientific definitions for vestigial
vestigial
[ vĕ-stĭj′ē-əl ]
Relating to a body part that has become small and lost its use because of evolutionary change. Whales, for example, have small bones located in the muscles of their body walls that are vestigial bones of hips and hind limbs.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.