convergent evolution

American  

noun

1. the appearance of apparently similar structures in organisms of different lines of descent.

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convergent evolution Cultural  

1. The development through evolution of similar features by organisms with distinctly different ancestors. A common example of this is the evolution of wings in insects and birds.

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Etymology

Origin of convergent evolution

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

It’s an example of convergent evolution, when completely unrelated species independently evolve comparable traits in response to similar environmental pressures.

From Slate • Jan. 25, 2026

This process of carcinisation is a form of convergent evolution.

From BBC • Oct. 17, 2025

The details of convergent evolution might of course be more complex in the eukaryotes, multicellular organisms like humans or decapods with large genomes, the total genetic material of an organism.

From Salon • Oct. 14, 2024

This is an example of convergent evolution at the molecular level.

From Science Daily • Mar. 1, 2024

There may be some convergent evolution because there may be only one best solution to a certain environmental problem— something like two eyes, for example, for binocular vision at optical frequencies.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan