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Definition of "speciation" []

  • The evolutionary formation of new biological species, usually by the division of a single species into two or more genetically distinct ones. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "speciation" in a sentence
  • "The actual moment when a "daughter" species can (or will) no longer cross-breed with the population from which it sprang (the definition of speciation) is almost impossible to pinpoint, let alone to witness."
  • "Ken Miller, if he really wanted to, could cite 'intelligent cause' to explain speciation – and then cite any and all of the mainstream proposals as mechanism."
  • "If I understand front loading at all (please correct any misapprehension), the information necessary to produce speciation is already present from being pre-loaded and waiting for the appropriate moment to kick in."