phylogenetic

adjective phy·lo·ge·net·ic \ ˌfī-lō-jə-ˈne-tik \

|Updated on: 19 Jul 2018

Definition of phylogenetic

1 : of or relating to phylogeny

2 : based on natural evolutionary relationships

3 : acquired in the course of phylogenetic development : racial

—

phylogenetically

play \ˌfī-lō-jə-ˈne-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Recent Examples of phylogenetic from the Web

Steppe by steppe That branching seems to have been part of a Y. pestis population explosion around 4,000 years ago, which is when phylogenetic analysis of ancient bacterial genomes suggests that plague strains diversified rapidly.

— kiona n. smith, Ars Technica, "4,000-year-old genomes point to origins of bubonic plague," 12 June 2018
And according to a phylogenetic tree mapping the evolutionary relationship between the genomes, one of the nine major genotypes circulating today was the product of an ancient recombination between two strains of the hepatitis B virus.

— kiona n. smith, Ars Technica, "Genghis Khan’s Mongol horde probably had rampant Hepatitis B," 11 May 2018
The team used the phylogenetic trees to estimate how long ago each branch of the tree split off from the others.

— kiona n. smith, Ars Technica, "Polynesians may not have gone grocery shopping in South America," 12 Apr. 2018
Based on a 1980 book by biologists Niles Eldredge and Joel Cracraft, under the definition of a phylogenetic species, animal species now can differ by just 2 percent of their DNA to be considered separate.

— ben panko, Smithsonian, "What Does It Mean to Be a Species? Genetics Is Changing the Answer," 19 May 2017
Collins points out that medievalists studying copying errors in manuscripts have long used the same phylogenetic programs that evolutionary biologists use to study how DNA mutations appear over time.

— sarah zhang, The Atlantic, "Sampling DNA From a 1,000-Year-Old Illuminated Manuscript," 8 Aug. 2017
The team combined the new fossil evidence with previously collected genetic data from living birds to update the phylogenetic tree of bird evolution.

— carolyn gramling, Science | AAAS, "Tiny fossil reveals what happened to birds after dinosaurs went extinct," 10 July 2017
Any phylogenetic tree is a hypothesis, subject to testing and change with additional analysis and discovery.

— brian switek, Scientific American Blog Network, "Shaking the Dinosaur Family Tree," 15 May 2017
Using these phylogenetic principles, some researchers have dated many common words as far back as 9000 years ago.

— elizabeth norton, WIRED, "English May Have Retained Words From an Ice Age Language," 7 May 2013

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

Origin and Etymology of phylogenetic

International Scientific Vocabulary, from New Latin phylogenesis phylogeny, from phyl- + genesis

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1876

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Medical Dictionary

phylogenetic

adjective phy·lo·ge·net·ic \ ˌfī-lō-jə-ˈnet-ik \

medical Definition of phylogenetic

1 : of or relating to phylogeny

2 : based on natural evolutionary relationships

3 : acquired in the course of phylogenetic development

—

phylogenetically

play \-i-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up phylogenetic? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

phylogenetic

Definition of phylogenetic

phylogenetically

Recent Examples of phylogenetic from the Web

Origin and Etymology of phylogenetic

Medical Dictionary

phylogenetic

medical Definition of phylogenetic

phylogenetically

Seen and Heard

WORD OF THE DAY

exigent

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Test Your Vocabulary

Words at Play

Putting 'Myself' Where 'Me' or 'I' Usually Goes

A Deep Dive on 'Deep Dive'

10 Words for the Elitists in Your Life

The Good, The Bad, & The Semantically Imprecise - 8/17/2018

Ask the Editors

Ghost Word

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

Literally

Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

Word Games

Difficult Spelling Words Quiz

The Eponym Quiz

True or False?

Word Winder's CrossWinder

Trending: Manafort Guilty on 8 Charges, 'Mistrial' on Others

Putting 'Myself' Where 'Me' or 'I' Usually Goes

10 Words for the Elitists in Your Life

Difficult Spelling Words Quiz

Ghost Word

phylogenetic

Definition of phylogenetic

phylogenetically

Recent Examples of phylogenetic from the Web

Origin and Etymology of phylogenetic

Medical Dictionary

phylogenetic

medical Definition of phylogenetic

phylogenetically

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

Trending: Manafort Guilty on 8 Charges, 'Mistrial' on Others

Putting 'Myself' Where 'Me' or 'I' Usually Goes

10 Words for the Elitists in Your Life

Difficult Spelling Words Quiz

Ghost Word