Atavism
English Meaning
The recurrence, or a tendency to a recurrence, of the original type of a species in the progeny of its varieties; resemblance to remote rather than to near ancestors; reversion to the original form.
- The reappearance of a characteristic in an organism after several generations of absence, usually caused by the chance recombination of genes.
- An individual or a part that exhibits atavism. Also called throwback.
- The return of a trait or recurrence of previous behavior after a period of absence.