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Definition of darwinian

darwinian

/dɑːrˈwɪn.i.ən/
dar · win · i · an
Plural:Darwinians
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darwinian Lexical Profile

• adjective

1

Relating to Charles Darwin or his scientific theory of evolution by natural selection.

Example

"The biology course explores how Darwinian principles explain the adaptation of species to changing environments."

2

Characterized by ruthless competition in which only the strongest or most adaptable survive and succeed.

Example

"Small startups often struggle to survive in the fiercely Darwinian marketplace of the tech industry."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• noun

1

An advocate or scholar of Charles Darwin's theory of biological evolution by natural selection.

Example

"As a committed Darwinian, the evolutionary biologist spent her career studying genetic variation in island bird populations."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for darwinian

• Nearby Words

darwin
darwin falls
darwin tulip
darwinian
dash
dashboard
dashcam

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the mid-19th century from the surname of Charles Darwin (1809–1882), the English naturalist who formulated the theory of evolution by natural selection, combined with the suffix -ian.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Darwinian. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/darwinian
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