What does "darwinian" mean?
Senses relating to Charles and Erasmus Darwin.; An adherent of Charles Darwin's theory of the origin of species, or of Darwinism.
Darwinian
/dɑːˈwɪ.ni.ən/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Uncommon ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Senses relating to Charles and Erasmus Darwin.; An adherent of Charles Darwin's theory of the origin of species, or of Darwinism.
- Grammar: darwinian is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: darwinian advocate, darwinian proponent, darwinist, evolutionary.
- Useful contrasts: Lamarckian, non-Darwinian.
- Usage evidence: After alluding airily to the Vehmgericht, aqua tofana, Carbonari, the Marchioness de Brinvilliers, the Darwinian theory, the principles of Malthus, and the Ratcliff Highway murders, the article concluded by admonishing the Government and advocating a closer watch over foreigners in England.
How to use "darwinian"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "darwinian" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
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- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
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- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "darwinian" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "darwinian" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
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Final meaning check
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Definitions
Noun
- 1 Senses relating to Charles and Erasmus Darwin.; An adherent of Charles Darwin's theory of the origin of species, or of Darwinism.
"This is, I believe, the first instance known of a "flying frog," and it is very interesting to Darwinians as showing that the variability of the toes which have been already modified for purposes of swimming and adhesive climbing, have been taken advantage of to enable an allied species to pass through the air like the flying lizard."
- 2 Alternative letter-case form of Darwinian. alt-of
- 3 an advocate of Darwinism wordnet
- 4 Senses relating to Charles and Erasmus Darwin.; An adherent of the philosophical and scientific views, or poetic style, of Erasmus Darwin. obsolete, rare
- 5 A native or resident of Darwin in the Northern Territory, Australia.
Adjective
- 1 Senses relating to Charles and Erasmus Darwin.; Of or pertaining to the scientific views advanced by the English biologist, geologist, and naturalist Charles Darwin, especially his theory that living organisms evolve through the natural selection of inherited variations that increase organisms' ability to compete, survive, and reproduce.
- 2 Alternative letter-case form of Darwinian. alt-of
- 3 Senses relating to Charles and Erasmus Darwin.; Of or pertaining to Darwinism, which includes the theories of Charles Darwin and other scientists. broadly
"The Darwinian movement has made no difference to mankind, except that, instead of talking unphilosophically about philosophy, they now talk unscientifically about science."
- 4 Senses relating to Charles and Erasmus Darwin.; Competitive, especially in a ruthless manner. broadly
- 5 Senses relating to Charles and Erasmus Darwin.; Exhibiting an ability to adapt or develop in order to survive; adaptable. broadly
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 Senses relating to Charles and Erasmus Darwin.; Of or pertaining to the philosophical and scientific views, or poetic style, of the natural philosopher, physiologist, and poet Erasmus Darwin. historical
- 7 Of or pertaining to Darwin, the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia.
Adjective
- 1 of or relating to Charles Darwin's theory of organic evolution wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"After alluding airily to the Vehmgericht, aqua tofana, Carbonari, the Marchioness de Brinvilliers, the Darwinian theory, the principles of Malthus, and the Ratcliff Highway murders, the article concluded by admonishing the Government and advocating a closer watch over foreigners in England."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "darwinian"?
Common synonyms include: darwinian advocate, darwinian proponent, darwinist, evolutionary, evolutionist, proponent of darwinism.
How do you use "darwinian" in a sentence?
After alluding airily to the Vehmgericht, aqua tofana, Carbonari, the Marchioness de Brinvilliers, the Darwinian theory, the principles of Malthus, and the Ratcliff Highway murders, the article concluded by admonishing the Government and advocating a closer watch over foreigners in England.
How do you pronounce "darwinian"?
Pronounced /dɑːˈwɪ.ni.ən/.
Etymology
From Darwin + -ian (suffix with the sense ‘belonging to, relating to, or like’ forming adjectives or nouns). Darwin is the surname of Erasmus Darwin (1731–1802) and his grandson Charles Darwin (1809–1882). Adjective sense 2 (“of or pertaining to Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia”) and noun sense 2 (“native or resident of Darwin”) refer to the city of Darwin which was named after Charles Darwin.