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vestigial

ves·tig·i·al
V v

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [ve-stij-ee-uh l, -stij-uh l]
    • /vɛˈstɪdʒ i əl, -ˈstɪdʒ əl/
    • /vesˈtɪdʒ.i.əl/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [ve-stij-ee-uh l, -stij-uh l]
    • /vɛˈstɪdʒ i əl, -ˈstɪdʒ əl/

Definitions of vestigial word

  • adjective vestigial of, relating to, or of the nature of a vestige: a vestigial tail. 1
  • adjective vestigial Vestigial is used to describe the small amounts of something that still remain of a larger or more important thing. 0
  • adjective vestigial of, relating to, or being a vestige 0
  • adjective vestigial (of certain organs or parts of organisms) having attained a simple structure and reduced size and function during the evolution of the species 0
  • noun vestigial (biology) A small, degenerate, or imperfectly developed part or organ which has been more fully developed in some past generation. 0
  • adjective vestigial Of or pertaining to a vestige or remnant; like a trace from the past. 0

Information block about the term

Origin of vestigial

First appearance:

before 1880
One of the 23% newest English words
1880-85; < Latin vestīgi(um) vestige + -al1

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Vestigial

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation

vestigial popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 88% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

vestigial usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for vestigial

adj vestigial

  • atavistic — Atavistic feelings or behaviour seem to be very primitive, like the feelings or behaviour of our earliest ancestors.
  • brutish — If you describe a person or their behaviour as brutish, you think that they are brutal and uncivilised.
  • larval — of, relating to, or in the form of a larva.
  • latent — present but not visible, apparent, or actualized; existing as potential: latent ability.

adjective vestigial

  • abecedarian — a person who is learning the alphabet or the rudiments of a subject
  • atrophic — Also, atrophia [uh-troh-fee-uh] /əˈtroʊ fi ə/ (Show IPA). Pathology. a wasting away of the body or of an organ or part, as from defective nutrition or nerve damage.
  • functionless — Lacking a function.
  • nonliterate — preliterate.

Top questions with vestigial

  • what are vestigial structures?
  • what is a vestigial structure?
  • why are vestigial structures considered critical evidence of evolution?
  • what is vestigial structure?
  • what must be true of any organ described as vestigial?
  • how do vestigial structures provide evidence for evolution?
  • what is a vestigial tail?
  • why is the little toe vestigial?
  • why are vestigial structures not removed by natural selection?
  • what are vestigial organs?
  • what is a vestigial organ?
  • what does vestigial structure mean?
  • how are vestigial structures an example of evidence of evolution?
  • which statement about vestigial traits is correct?
  • what is vestigial?

See also

Matching words

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