Associations to the word «Neoteny»

Wiktionary

NEOTENY, noun. (biology) The retention of juvenile characteristics in the adult.
NEOTENY, noun. (biology) The sexual maturity of an organism still in its larval stage.

Dictionary definition

NEOTENY, noun. An evolutionary trend to be born earlier so that development is cut off at an earlier stage and juvenile characteristics are retained in adults of the species.

Wise words

Words are always getting conventionalized to some secondary meaning. It is one of the works of poetry to take the truants in custody and bring them back to their right senses.
William Butler Yeats