Darwinian

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Darwinian \Dar*win"i*an\, a. [From the name of Charles Darwin,
     an English scientist.]
     Pertaining to Darwin; as, the Darwinian theory, a theory of
     the manner and cause of the supposed development of living
     things from certain original forms or elements.
     [1913 Webster]


  
     Note: This theory was put forth by Darwin in 1859 in a work
           entitled "The Origin of species by Means of Natural
           Selection." The author argues that, in the struggle for
           existence, those plants and creatures best fitted to
           the requirements of the situation in which they are
           placed are the ones that will live; in other words,
           that Nature selects those which are to survive. This is
           the theory of natural selection or the survival of the
           fittest. He also argues that natural selection is
           capable of modifying and producing organisms fit for
           their circumstances. See {Development theory}, under
           {Development}.
           [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Darwinian \Dar*win"i*an\, n.
     An advocate of Darwinism.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Darwinian
       adj : of or relating to Charles Darwin's theory of organic
             evolution; "Darwinian theories"
       n : an advocate of Darwinism