Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
atavistically
adverb
/ˌætəˈvɪstɪkli/
Definition
In a manner that is characteristic of an ancestral trait or behavior, often emerging after a period of dormancy.
Examples
- The animal behaved atavistically, displaying instincts that hadn’t been observed for generations.
- In her artwork, she drew atavistically, channeling the styles of ancient civilizations.
Meaning
Referring to a reversion to an earlier or ancestral type, especially in terms of traits or behaviors that are not normally present in the current generation.
Synonyms
- ancestrally
- primordially
- retrogressively