Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

phenetic

Adjective

/fəˈnɛtɪk/

Definition

Phenetic refers to a classification method based on observable traits and characteristics, rather than evolutionary relationships or genetic similarities.

Examples

The phenetic classification of species allows scientists to categorize organisms based on shared characteristics.
Using phenetic methods, researchers identified several new clusters of bacteria based on their morphological traits.

Meaning

In the field of biology, phenetic approaches are used to group organisms based on physical features and other measurable attributes, regardless of their genetic relations.