darwinian means senses relating to Charles and Erasmus Darwin.; Of or pertaining to the scientific views advanced by the English biologist, geologist, and naturalist Charles Darwin, especially his theory that living organisms evolve through the natural selection of inherited variations that increase organisms' ability to compete, survive, and reproduce. It carries an Arena rating of 1336, earned across 71 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, darwinian ranks #993 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #2,072 of 17,104 for Most Storied Words, #2,182 of 17,134 for Most Malleable Words, #3,792 of 17,124 for Most Sublime Words.
darwinian is pronounced /dɑːˈwɪ.ni.ən/.
Why “darwinian” is a great word
DARWINIAN — [Adjective] Of or pertaining to the scientific theories of Charles Darwin, especially evolution by natural selection. From the surname Darwin (of Erasmus and Charles Darwin) + the suffix -ian ("belonging to, relating to, or like"). Unlike "Lamarckian," which posits evolution through the inheritance of acquired traits, or "Creationist," which asserts a fixed, divine design, Darwinian describes a world shaped by blind variation and selective pressure. It is the slow calibration of a finch's beak, the silent arithmetic of life written in fossil strata, and the desperate, beautiful overproduction of seeds spinning to earth. A process without a plan, forging all complexity from simple, relentless failure.
Etymology
From Darwin + -ian (suffix with the sense ‘belonging to, relating to, or like’ forming adjectives or nouns). Darwin is the surname of Erasmus Darwin (1731–1802) and his grandson Charles Darwin (1809–1882). Adjective sense 2 (“of or pertaining to Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia”) and noun sense 2 (“native or resident of Darwin”) refer to the city of Darwin which was named after Charles Darwin.
adj
- Senses relating to Charles and Erasmus Darwin.; Of or pertaining to the scientific views advanced by the English biologist, geologist, and naturalist Charles Darwin, especially his theory that living organisms evolve through the natural selection of inherited variations that increase organisms' ability to compete, survive, and reproduce.
- Senses relating to Charles and Erasmus Darwin.; Of or pertaining to Darwinism, which includes the theories of Charles Darwin and other scientists.e.g.“The Darwinian movement has made no difference to mankind, except that, instead of talking unphilosophically about philosophy, they now talk unscientifically about science.” — 1904 July 9 and 16, Gilbert K[eith] Chesterton, “The Eccentric Seclusion of the Old Lady”, in The Club of Queer Trades, New York, N.Y.; London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, published April 1905, →OCL
- Senses relating to Charles and Erasmus Darwin.; Competitive, especially in a ruthless manner.
- Senses relating to Charles and Erasmus Darwin.; Exhibiting an ability to adapt or develop in order to survive; adaptable.
- Senses relating to Charles and Erasmus Darwin.; Of or pertaining to the philosophical and scientific views, or poetic style, of the natural philosopher, physiologist, and poet Erasmus Darwin.
- Of or pertaining to Darwin, the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia.
noun
- Senses relating to Charles and Erasmus Darwin.; An adherent of Charles Darwin's theory of the origin of species, or of Darwinism.
- Senses relating to Charles and Erasmus Darwin.; An adherent of the philosophical and scientific views, or poetic style, of Erasmus Darwin.
- A native or resident of Darwin in the Northern Territory, Australia.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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