Evolutionary Biology Terms

noun A type of great ape native to the forests of Africa, known for its intelligence and social behavior.

• The chimpanzee is a highly intelligent primate species found in the wild.
• I saw a chimpanzee at the zoo yesterday, and it was so cute!
• That party was bananas, there were more people there than a chimpanzee could count!
• Her chaotic mind felt like a jungle where a wild chimpanzee was swinging from thought to thought.

adjective tamed or trained to live with or work for humans

• The process of domesticating wild animals has been studied for centuries.
• My cat used to be a stray, but now she's domesticated and loves sleeping on the couch.
• I can't believe how quickly I got domesticated after moving in with my partner.
• His years of working in the corporate world have domesticated his wild entrepreneurial spirit.

noun the process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the earth

• The theory of evolution by natural selection was proposed by Charles Darwin.
• Have you ever thought about how evolution has shaped the world we live in?
• Evolution is like nature's way of saying 'adapt or die'.
• The evolution of technology has transformed the way we communicate with each other.

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adjective relating to or involving evolution or development

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• The theory of evolutionary biology explains how species change over time through genetic variation and natural selection.
• The study of evolutionary psychology looks at how our behavior has been shaped by natural selection over time.
• Dude, have you seen the latest episode of that evolutionary TV show? It's so addicting!
• The company's success was the result of an evolutionary process, constantly adapting to market changes.

verb to develop or change over time; to undergo evolution

• Over time, species have been known to evolve in order to adapt to their changing environments.
• People's tastes in music can evolve as they get older and experience new things.
• His fashion sense has really evolved over the years - he used to only wear baggy clothes, but now he's all about skinny jeans.
• As a writer, her storytelling abilities have evolved to a point where her plots are now incredibly complex and engaging.

noun the remains or impression of a prehistoric organism preserved in petrified form or as a mold or cast in rock

• The fossil record provides valuable insights into the history of life on Earth.
• My dad found a cool fossil on our hike yesterday.
• That old car is a fossil, man.
• Her outdated views on politics are like a fossil from another era.

noun the branch of zoology concerned with reptiles and amphibians

• The study of reptiles and amphibians is known as herpetology.
• She's really into herpetology and loves learning about snakes and frogs.
• I never thought I'd be interested in herps, but herpetology is actually pretty cool.
• Herpetology is like diving into a whole new world of scaly and slimy creatures.

noun Lineage refers to a sequence of ancestors or descendants in a family or genealogy.

• The royal family's lineage can be traced back for centuries.
• I heard that Sarah's lineage includes some famous historical figures.
• My lineage is full of badass warriors and strong women.
• The lineage of ideas in this field can be traced back to ancient philosophers.

verb to become bony or harden into bone; to change into bone or bony tissue

• As we age, the cartilage in our joints may ossify, causing stiffness and pain.
• I heard that if you don't move your arm after breaking it, the bone can ossify in a weird position.
• Dude, if you keep skipping leg day, your muscles are just gonna ossify into flab.
• Over time, his rigid beliefs began to ossify, making it difficult for him to consider other perspectives.

adjective not adapted or suited; not changed or modified to fit a new purpose or situation

• The unadapted species struggled to survive in the new environment.
• The unadapted plants wilted in the hot sun.
• Those unadapted shoes are killing my feet!
• His unadapted mindset prevented him from embracing change.

noun a member of the order Crocodylia, which includes crocodiles, alligators, caimans, and gharials

• The crocodilian species includes crocodiles, alligators, caimans, and gharials.
• I saw a huge crocodilian sunbathing by the river.
• Watch out for that crocodilian lurking in the water!
• His smile was like that of a crocodilian, hiding his true intentions.

adverb relating to or involving evolution

• The ability to adapt to changing environments is an evolutionarily advantageous trait.
• Humans have evolved evolutionarily to walk upright on two legs.
• Some species have evolutionarily outsmarted predators by developing camouflage.
• The evolutionarily process of technology has revolutionized communication.

noun a type of dinosaur characterized by a hip structure similar to that of modern reptiles

• The saurischian dinosaurs were characterized by their hip structure, with a forward-pointing pubis bone.
• Did you know that the saurischian dinosaurs were the ancestors of modern birds?
• Those saurischian dinos were the real OGs of the prehistoric world.
• Her leadership style was like that of a saurischian, strong and commanding.

noun a proper noun referring to a person's name

• Mya is a talented musician who has won multiple awards for her work.
• I heard Mya is having a concert next weekend, want to go?
• Mya's new song is fire, I can't stop listening to it.
• Mya's presence at the event was like a ray of sunshine, brightening up the whole room.

noun a noun is a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea. In this case, 'genome' is a noun that refers to an organism's complete set of DNA, and 'sequencing' is a noun that refers to the process of determining the order of nucleotides in a DNA mol

adjective an adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun. In this case, 'whole' is an adjective that describes the type of genome sequencing being done.

• The researchers conducted whole genome sequencing to analyze the genetic makeup of the organism.
• They used whole genome sequencing to study the organism's genes.
• They did a full DNA scan to check out the organism's genetic code.
• By delving into whole genome sequencing, they were able to unlock the genetic secrets of the organism.

noun the state of lacking limbs

• Limblessness is a medical condition that can greatly impact a person's quality of life.
• I can't imagine how difficult it must be to cope with limblessness on a daily basis.
• Dealing with limblessness must be really tough, but I know you're strong enough to handle it.
• The limblessness of the tree in winter symbolizes the harshness of the season.

noun abbreviation for human endogenous retroviruses, which are remnants of ancient retroviral infections integrated into the human genome

• The study focused on the potential impact of HERVs on human health.
• Scientists are researching how HERVs may affect our bodies.
• I heard HERVs can mess with your DNA.
• HERVs are like ancient genetic fossils embedded within our genome.

noun one of two or more alternative forms of a gene that arise by mutation and are found at the same place on a chromosome

• The presence of a specific allele can determine an individual's eye color.
• Some people have the blue eye allele, but others have the brown eye allele.
• I got the tall allele from my dad, so I'm hoping to hit 6 feet soon.
• In the genetic lottery, I feel like I got stuck with all the recessive alleles.

adjective relating to or exhibiting pleiotropy, the phenomenon of a single gene having multiple effects

• The scientist discovered a pleiotropic effect of the gene, influencing multiple traits.
• Hey, did you know that gene has a pleiotropic impact on different characteristics?
• That gene be doing all kinds of things, it's like super versatile or something.
• The gene's pleiotropic nature is like a spider web, affecting various aspects at once.

noun a scientist who studies or advocates for the concept of abiogenesis

• The abiogenist proposed a theory that life could arise from non-living matter.
• The abiogenist is always talking about how life could have started without any help.
• The abiogenist is all about that life from nothing idea.
• Like an abiogenist creating life from scratch, she built her business from the ground up.

noun Acanthodea is a taxonomic group of extinct jawed fishes that lived from the Silurian to the Permian periods.

• The acanthodea is an extinct class of fish that lived during the Paleozoic era.
• I read that the acanthodea were some of the earliest jawed fish.
• Check out those cool acanthodea fossils at the museum!
• The acanthodea were like the pioneers of the fish world, paving the way for future species.

noun a type of marine worm that resembles an acorn in shape

• The acorn worm is a marine invertebrate that burrows in the ocean floor.
• I saw a weird-looking acorn worm while snorkeling at the beach.
• That acorn worm is one funky critter, dude.
• The acorn worm wriggled through the sand like a tiny alien exploring a new world.

noun a subclass of bony fish that includes the coelacanth

• The actinistia, also known as coelacanths, are a group of ancient lobe-finned fish.
• Did you know that actinistia are considered living fossils?
• Check out those cool actinistia swimming in the aquarium!
• The actinistia are like the rockstars of the fish world, with their unique characteristics and history.

noun a genus of extinct primates that lived during the Eocene epoch

• Adapis is an extinct genus of primate that lived during the Eocene epoch.
• I read an interesting article about Adapis, a prehistoric primate.
• Check out this cool Adapis fossil I found online!
• The ancient Adapis is like a window into the past, showing us what primates were like millions of years ago.

noun the quality of being able to adjust to new conditions or circumstances

• The adaptiveness of the organization allowed it to thrive in a constantly changing market.
• Her adaptiveness in trying new things really paid off in the end.
• His adaptiveness to different situations is off the charts.
• The adaptiveness of the chameleon is a marvel of nature.