neotenic

adjective

ne·​o·​tenic ¦nēə¦tēnik How to pronounce neotenic (audio)
-ten-
variants or less commonly neotenous
-tēnəs
or neoteinic
-tēnik
-tīn-
-tān-
1
: of, relating to, or exhibiting neoteny
2
usually neoteinic : being a newly developed king or queen of a termite colony following the loss of the previous royalties

Word History

Etymology

neotenic, neoteinic International Scientific Vocabulary neoten-, neotein- (from New Latin neotenia, neoteinia neoteny) + -ic; neotenous from neoteny + -ous

The Ultimate Dictionary Awaits

Expand your vocabulary and dive deeper into language with Merriam-Webster Unabridged.

  1. Expanded definitions
  2. Detailed etymologies
  3. Advanced search tools
  4. All ad-free

Discover what makes Merriam-Webster Unabridged the essential choice for true word lovers.

Start Your Free Trial Now

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Neotenic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/neotenic. Accessed 16 Dec. 2025.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!