Artenkreis

noun

Ar·​ten·​kreis
ˈärtᵊnˌkrīs
plural Artenkreise
-īzə
or Artenkreises
-īsə̇z
: a group of species that replace one another in geographic sequence, presumably trace ultimately to a common ancestral form, and are equivalent as a group to a subgenus

Word History

Etymology

German, literally, cycle of species, from arten (plural of art species, kind, type, nature, from Middle High German) + kreis cycle, circle, from Old High German kreiz; akin to Middle Low German kreit, krēt circle, enclosed dueling space, Old High German krizzōn to scratch in (as letters), krazzōn to scratch

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Cite this Entry

“Artenkreis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Artenkreis. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

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