transformism

American  

[trans-fawr-miz-uhm] / trænsˈfɔr mɪz əm /

noun

Biology.

1. the doctrine of gradual transformation of one species into another by descent with modification through many generations.

2. such transformation itself.

3. any doctrine or instance of evolution.

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transformism British  

/ trænsˈfɔːmɪzəm /

noun

1. a less common word for evolution, used esp to refer to the theory of evolution

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Other Word Forms

• transformist noun

Etymology

Origin of transformism

1875–80; transform + -ism, modeled on French transformisme

Example Sentences

Darwin, he assured me, had brought forward no new discovery, but only a new hypothesis, and that only a small and particular hypothesis, whereby to explain the general theory of transformism.

From First and Last by Belloc, Hilaire

M. Meunier gives at some length his reasons for rejecting Darwin's, Lamarck's, and all other theories of transformism.

From The Old Riddle and the Newest Answer by Gerard, John S.J.

Therefore biology could and would continue to establish between living forms the same relations and the same kinship as transformism supposes to-day.

From Creative Evolution by Mitchell, Arthur

And yet transformism leads us straight to it.

From The Mason-Bees by Teixeira de Mattos, Alexander

The idea of transformism is already contained in germ in the natural classification of organised beings.

From A New Philosophy: Henri Bergson by Benson, Vincent