Phylogeny

2 definitions found

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

  phylogenesis \phy`lo*gen"e*sis\
     (f[imac]`l[-o]*j[e^]n;[-e]*s[i^]s), phylogeny \phy*log"e*ny\
     (f[imac]*l[o^]j"[-e]*n[y^]), n. [Gr. fy^lon race, tribe + E.
     genesis, or root of Gr. gi`gnesqai to be born.]
     The history of genealogical development; the sequence of
     events involved in the evolutionary development of a species


     or taxonomic group of organisms; the historic exolution of
     the phylon or tribe, in distinction from {ontogeny}, or the
     development of the individual organism, and from biogenesis,
     or life development generally.
  
     Syn: evolution.
          [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  phylogeny
       n : (biology) the sequence of events involved in the
           evolutionary development of a species or taxonomic group
           of organisms [syn: {evolution}, {phylogenesis}]