hopeful monster

hope·ful mon·ster

H h

Definitions of hopeful monster words

noun hopeful monster a hypothetical individual organism that, by means of a fortuitous macromutation permitting an adaptive shift to a new mode of life, becomes the founder of a new type of organism and a vehicle of macroevolution. 1
noun hopeful monster (biology) An organism exhibiting a significant mutation that may form a new lineage according to macromutation theory. 0

before 1933

One of the 10% newest English words

First recorded in 1933; phrase introduced by German geneticist Richard B. Goldschmidt (1879-1958)

noun

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conjunction

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exclamation

This term is known only to a narrow circle of people with rare knowledge. Only 5% of English native speakers know the meaning of this word.

According to our data most of word are more popular. This word is almost not used. It has a much more popular synonym.

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