neoteny

English

Etymology

From German Neotenie, coined in 1884 by anatomist Julius Kollmann from Ancient Greek νέος (néos, “young”) and τείνειν (teínein, “to tense”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /niˈɒtəni/
  • (US) IPA(key): /niˈɑːtəni/

Noun

neoteny (countable and uncountable, plural neotenies)

  1. (biology) The retention of juvenile characteristics in the adult.
    Most amphibians are aquatic only while young, but some amphibians with neoteny remain aquatic even as adults.
  2. (biology) The sexual maturity of an organism still in its larval stage.

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