Medical Dictionary
atavism
noun at·a·vism \ˈat-ə-ˌviz-əm\
Medical Definition of ATAVISM
1
: recurrence in an organism of a trait or character typical of an ancestral form and usually due to genetic recombination
2
: an individual or character manifesting atavism : throwback
—at·a·vis·tic \ˌat-ə-ˈvis-tik\ adjective
—at·a·vis·ti·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb
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