Kallikak

[ kal-i-kak ]

noun

1. the fictitious name of an actual family that was the focus of a sociological study: one branch of feeble-minded descendants were mostly social degenerates, while another branch with descendants of normal intelligence were mostly successful.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Kallikak¹

< Greek kalli- calli- + kak- ( caco- )

Example Sentences

Although Goddard noted that she was attractive enough to get a man and have babies, the pseudonymous Deborah Kallikak had the mind of a child, and was certain to spawn another generation of mental and moral defectives.

From Salon

“There are Kallikak families all about us,” Goddard wrote; “they are multiplying at twice the rate of the general population.”

From Salon

One of the most remarkable of these is the recent study on degeneracy by Goddard as set forth in his book called The Kallikak Family.

From Project Gutenberg

The record is that of six generations of descendants from an original progenitor to whom the fictitious name of Kallikak has been assigned.

From Project Gutenberg

Both clans were descendants of Martin Kallikak, a soldier in the Revolution.

From Time Magazine Archive