n, ek-sap-] 
| 1. | a process in which a feature acquires a function that was not acquired through natural selection. |
| 2. | a feature having a function for which it was not originally adapted or selected. |
| 3. | a morphological or physiological feature that predisposes an organism to adapt to a different environment or lifestyle. |
| 4. | predisposition toward adaptation. |
, adjective ex·ap·ta·tion  (ěg'zāp-tā'shən) n. Biology The utilization of a structure or feature for a function other than that for which it was developed through natural selection. [ex- + (ad)aptation.] ex·ap'ted adj., ex·ap'tive adj. |