Darwinism

[ dahr-wuh-niz-uhm ]

noun
  1. the Darwinian theory that species originate by descent, with variation, from parent forms, through the natural selection of those individuals best adapted for the reproductive success of their kind.

Origin of Darwinism

1
First recorded in 1855–60; Darwin + -ism

Other words from Darwinism

  • Dar·win·ist, Dar·win·ite [dahr-wuh-nahyt], /ˈdɑr wəˌnaɪt/, noun, adjective
  • Dar·win·is·tic, adjective
  • an·ti-Dar·win·ism, noun
  • an·ti-Dar·win·ist, noun, adjective
  • pro-Dar·win·ism, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for Darwinism

Darwinism

Darwinian theory

/ (ˈdɑːwɪˌnɪzəm) /


noun
  1. the theory of the origin of animal and plant species by evolution through a process of natural selection: Compare Lamarckism See also Neo-Darwinism

Derived forms of Darwinism

  • Darwinist or Darwinite, noun, adjective
  • Darwinistic, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for Darwinism

Darwinism

[ därwĭ-nĭz′əm ]


  1. A theory of biological evolution developed by Charles Darwin and others, stating that all species of organisms arise and develop through the natural selection of small, inherited variations that increase the individual's ability to compete, survive, and reproduce. Darwin's ideas have been refined and modified by subsequent researchers, but his theories still form the foundation of the scientific understanding of the evolution of life. Darwinism is often contrasted with another theory of biological evolution called Lamarckism, based on the now-discredited ideas of Jean-Baptiste Lamarck. See Note at evolution.

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