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View synonyms for vestigial

vestigial

[ ve-stij-ee-uhl, -stij-uhl ]

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or of the nature of a vestige:

    a vestigial tail.



vestigial

/ vĕ-stĭjē-əl /

  1. Relating to a body part that has become small and lost its use because of evolutionary change. Whales, for example, have small bones located in the muscles of their body walls that are vestigial bones of hips and hind limbs.


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Other Words From

  • ves·tigi·al·ly adverb

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Word History and Origins

Origin of vestigial1

1880–85; < Latin vestīgi ( um ) vestige + -al 1

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