Lamarckism
noun
La·marck·ism
lə-ˈmär-ˌki-zəm 
: a theory of organic evolution asserting that environmental changes cause structural changes in animals and plants that are transmitted to offspring
Examples of Lamarckism in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Historically, though, there was an alternative theory: Lamarckism, named for Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, the nineteenth-century Frenchman who was the first person to articulate the idea that organisms evolve.
—
Sarah Richardson, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Sarah Richardson, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Lamarckism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Lamarckism. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Lamarckism
noun
La·marck·ism
lə-ˈmär-ˌkiz-əm
: a theory of evolution holding that changes in the environment cause changes in the structure of animals and plants that are passed on to offspring
Lamarckian
adjective
-kē-ən
Medical Definition
Lamarckism
noun
La·marck·ism
lə-ˈmär-ˌkiz-əm
: a theory of organic evolution asserting that environmental changes cause structural changes in animals and plants that are transmitted to offspring
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share