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natural selection
noun
: a natural process that results in the survival and reproductive success of individuals or groups best adjusted to their environment and that leads to the perpetuation of genetic qualities best suited to that particular environment
Examples of natural selection in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Since there are way more eggs than there are mature animals, and a lot of them die, natural selection for survival through the egg stage is likely extremely powerful, says Warkentin.
—Sofia Quaglia, Discover Magazine, 29 Oct. 2024
This natural selection for friendliness is thought to have also caused many accidental changes—such as floppy ears, curly tails, and splotchy coats—as well as the ability to make eye contact and read human gestures in a way that wolves cannot.
—Brian Hare, The Atlantic, 14 Oct. 2024
The closest parallels to Babb’s predicament might be the fate of innovators such as Alfred Russel Wallace, who came up with the concept of natural selection around the same time as Charles Darwin, or Gottfried Liebniz, who developed a variant of calculus just as Isaac Newton did.
—Mark Athitakis, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2024
Endorsements came from Alfred Russell Wallace, the co-discoverer of natural selection, and from Arthur Conan Doyle, the physician better known for authoring Sherlock Holmes.
—Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1842, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of natural selection was
in 1842
Dictionary Entries Near natural selection
Cite this Entry
“Natural selection.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/natural%20selection. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
natural selection
noun
: a natural process in which individuals or groups best adapted to the conditions under which they live survive and produce young and poorly adapted forms are eliminated
Medical Definition
natural selection
noun
: a natural process that results in the survival and reproductive success of individuals or groups best adjusted to their environment and that leads to the perpetuation of genetic qualities best suited to that particular environment
More from Merriam-Webster on natural selection
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about natural selection
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