neoteny
noun
ne·o·te·ny
| \ nē-ˈä-tə-nē
\
\
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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Other Words from neoteny
neotenic
\ ˌnē-ə-ˈte-nik
\
adjective
\
adjective
Examples of neoteny in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Such features in adult humans and other animals — a phenomenon called neoteny — can coax strong emotions from us. — Faye Flam, Twin Cities, "Faye Flam: In defense of the not-so-cute animals," 19 July 2019 Such features in adult humans and other animals - a phenomenon called neoteny - can coax strong emotions from us. — Faye Flam, chicagotribune.com, "In defense of the not-so-cute animals," 10 July 2019 Often, domestic animals, in contrast to their wild counterparts, exhibit a feature known as neoteny—the retention of juvenile traits like soft fur, floppy ears, and bigger heads relative to their body size. — Natasha Daly, National Geographic, "Domesticated animals, explained," 4 July 2019 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. 2018These 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.
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