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
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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.
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Sarah Richardson, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
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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 31 Oct. 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
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