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atavistic

Syllabification: (at·a·vis·tic)
Pronunciation: /ˌatəˈvistik/
Translate atavistic | into Italian
Definition of atavistic

adjective

  • relating to or characterized by reversion to something ancient or ancestral:atavistic fears and instincts

Derivatives

atavism

Pronunciation: /ˈatəˌvizəm/
noun

atavistically

Pronunciation: /-tik(ə)lē/
adverb

Origin:

late 19th century: based on Latin atavus 'forefather', via French atavisme, + -ic

atavistic in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of atavistic in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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