neoteny

noun ne·o·te·ny \ nē-ˈä-tə-nē \

|Updated on: 28 Apr 2018

Definition of neoteny

1 : retention of some larval or immature characters in adulthood

2 : attainment of sexual maturity during the larval stage

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neotenic

play \ˌnē-ə-ˈte-nik\ adjective

Recent Examples of neoteny from the Web

Humans are hopelessly drawn to neoteny—the kissable, squishable, button-nosed, big-eyed, irresistibility of babies—and your parents will generally have your back.

— jeffrey kluger, Time, "Dear Royal Baby: Being the Youngest Child Comes With Some Surprising Advantages," 23 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'neoteny.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of neoteny

borrowed from German Neotenie, from Greek néos "young" + -o- -o- + teínein "to stretch, extend" + German -ie ²-y — more at ¹new, ¹thin

Note: The word Neotenie was introduced by the German biologist Julius Kollmann (1834-1918) in "Das Ueberwintern von europäischen Frosch- und Tritonlarven und die Umwandlung des mexikanischen Axolotl," Verhandlungen der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Basel, 7. Theil, 2. Heft (1884), p. 391. In explaining the coinage, Kollmann inaccurately glossed Greek teínein as "halten, hinhalten" ("hold, hold/put off"), perhaps through confusion with Latin tenēre "to hold."

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1901

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year