phyletic

adjective

phy·​let·​ic fī-ˈle-tik How to pronounce phyletic (audio)
: of or relating to evolutionary change in a single line of descent without branching
phyletically adverb

Examples of phyletic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
This phyletic gradualism and the scale independence of evolutionary process has been challenged, in particular from the domain of developmental biology (albeit, not all ,or even most, developmental biologists). Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 16 Sep. 2010

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary phyl- + -etic (as in genetic)

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of phyletic was in 1877

Dictionary Entries Near phyletic

Cite this Entry

“Phyletic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phyletic. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

phyletic

adjective
phy·​let·​ic fī-ˈlet-ik How to pronounce phyletic (audio)
: of or relating to the course of evolutionary or phylogenetic development
phyletically adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!