nonadaptive
adjective
non·adap·tive
ˌnän-ə-ˈdap-tiv 
-a-
: not contributing to the fitness, performance, or survival of an organism or its parts : not arising by adaptation : not adaptive
Organisms are integrated systems and adaptive change in one part can lead to nonadaptive modifications of other features …—
Stephen Jay Gould
Stephen Jay Gouldnonadaptive behavior
Examples of nonadaptive in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As typical of adaptive sports, adaptive skiing tends to cost more than nonadaptive skiing.
—Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2023
According to this model, much of the restructuring of eukaryotic genomes was initiated by nonadaptive processes, and this in turn provided novel substrates for the secondary evolution of phenotypic complexity by natural selection.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 27 Aug. 2010
But what about when this guilt is based on actions taken in life-or-death situations—such as on the battlefield or in an emergency room—and is distinctly nonadaptive?
—Anna Harwood-Gross, Scientific American, 24 Mar. 2020
Even prior to this study, the two concepts — adaptation versus exaptation (drawn from nonadaptive traits or traits adapted for another purpose) — were difficult to separate.
—Quanta Magazine, 4 Sep. 2013
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2023
According to this model, much of the restructuring of eukaryotic genomes was initiated by nonadaptive processes, and this in turn provided novel substrates for the secondary evolution of phenotypic complexity by natural selection.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 27 Aug. 2010
But what about when this guilt is based on actions taken in life-or-death situations—such as on the battlefield or in an emergency room—and is distinctly nonadaptive?
—Anna Harwood-Gross, Scientific American, 24 Mar. 2020
Even prior to this study, the two concepts — adaptation versus exaptation (drawn from nonadaptive traits or traits adapted for another purpose) — were difficult to separate.
—Quanta Magazine, 4 Sep. 2013
Dictionary Entries Near nonadaptive
Cite this Entry
“Nonadaptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonadaptive. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
nonadaptive
adjective
non·adap·tive
ˌnän-ə-ˈdap-tiv, -a-ˈ
: not serving to adapt the individual to the environment
nonadaptive traits
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share