atavism

noun

at·​a·​vism ˈa-tə-ˌvi-zəm 

1

a

: recurrence in an organism of a trait or character typical of an ancestral form and usually due to genetic recombination

b

: recurrence of or reversion to a past style, manner, outlook, approach, or activity

architectural atavism

2

: an individual or character that manifests atavism : throwback

He was a magnificent atavism, a man so purely primitive that he was of the type that came into the world before the development of the moral nature.

—Jack London

atavistic

ˌa-tə-ˈvi-stik 

adjective

atavistically

ˌa-tə-ˈvi-sti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Did you know?

Atavism derives via French from Latin atavus, meaning "ancestor." Avus in Latin means "grandfather," and it's believed that the at is related to atta, a word for "daddy." Atavism is a term rooted in evolutionary study, referring to instances when an organism possesses traits closer to a more remote ancestor, rather than its own parents. That sense dates to the early part of the 19th century. The word's figurative sense is a more recent development. These days one might describe a building that looks like it's from an earlier era as an atavism, or (though some people might cringe at this) apply the word to activities like reading actual paper books in the age of electronics.

Examples of atavism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Millet plays with the title and with the idea of atavism, in which an ancient trait asserts itself by skipping forward a few generations to suddenly appear in the gene pool. —Heather Scott Partington, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025

Western elites believed that in the twenty-first century, cosmopolitanism and globalism would triumph over atavism and tribal loyalties. —Walter Russell Mead, Foreign Affairs, 20 Jan. 2017

This sumptuous piece of theatrical atavism bore little resemblance to the actual events of Mozart’s life, but most nonpurist musicians happily accepted the melodramatization; quite apart from the thespian pyrotechnics, the sophisticated choice of music was a revelation. —Simon Callow, The New York Review of Books, 22 Dec. 2022

Is my interest in the moon some dormant atavism from a more primitive era of human life? —Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 21 Oct. 2022

Early on, these doctors-cum-criminal-profilers explained bad apples through theories such as atavism. —WIRED, 21 Feb. 2023

If learning and gentility are signs of civilization, perhaps our almost-big brains are straining against their residual atavism, struggling to expand. —Richard Granger, Discover Magazine, 31 Oct. 2022

Obama crashed against a wall of atavism and paranoia. —Matthew Continetti, National Review, 29 Jan. 2022

This gives his career an arc of atavism and abnegating tragedy, a willful artist hopelessly at the mercy of his obsessions. —Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2021

Word History

Etymology

French atavisme, from Latin atavus ancestor, from at- (probably akin to atta daddy) + avus grandfather — more at uncle

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Medical Definition

atavism

noun

at·​a·​vism ˈat-ə-ˌviz-əm 

1

: recurrence in an organism of a trait or character typical of an ancestral form and usually due to genetic recombination

2

: an individual or character manifesting atavism : throwback

atavistic

ˌat-ə-ˈvis-tik 

adjective

atavistically

-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb