Cenogenetic

/ˌsenədʒɪˈnɛtɪk/ adjective

Definition

Relating to or characterized by the development of new structures or characteristics in organisms during their lifetime that are not inherited from ancestors.

Etymology

From cenogenesis plus the adjective suffix -ic. A technical term in evolutionary biology developed in the 19th century.

Kelly Says

Cenogenetic features are like the evolutionary equivalent of a surprise upgrade—they're characteristics that developed recently enough that your ancestors never had them, so you're breaking new biological ground.

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