atavistic

  1. Adjective.  (biology) of the recurrence of a trait reappearing after an absence of one or more generations due to a chance recombination of genes.
  2. Adjective.  of a throwback or exhibiting primitivism.
  3. Adjective.  relating to earlier, more primitive behavior that returns after an absence.

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This entry was last updated on RefTopia from its source on 3/20/2012.