the recurrence in a plant or animal of certain primitive characteristics that were present in an ancestor but have not occurred in intermediate generations
2.
reversion to a former or more primitive type
Derived forms
atavist (ˈatavist)
noun
atavic (əˈtævɪk)
adjective
Word origin
C19: from French atavisme, from Latin atavus strictly: great-grandfather's grandfather, probably from atta daddy + avus grandfather
atavism in American English
(ˈætəˌvɪzəm)
noun
1.
appearance in an individual of some characteristic found in a remote ancestor but not in nearer ancestors
2.
a.
such a characteristic
b.
an individual with such a characteristic
: also ˈatavist
Derived forms
atavistic (ˌataˈvistic)
adjective or aˈtavic (əˈtævɪk)
atavistically (ˌataˈvistically)
adverb
Word origin
Fr atavisme < L atavus, father of a great-grandfather, ancestor < at-, beyond + avus, grandfather < IE *ati, beyond + *awos, maternal grandfather
Examples of 'atavism' in a sentence
atavism
Her entire face stood out prominently, almost prognathously, an atavism that hinted of something deeply primitive in her.