neoteny

English

Wikipedia

Etymology

From German Neotenie, in turn from Ancient Greek νέος (neos, “young”) and τείνειν (teinein, “tend to”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /niˈɒtəni/
• (US) IPA: /niˈɑːtəni/

Noun

neoteny (uncountable)

1. (biology) The retention of juvenile characteristics in the adult.

   Most amphibians are aquatic only while young, but some amphibians with neoteny remain aquatic even as adults.

2. (biology) The sexual maturity of an organism still in its larval stage.

Synonyms

• pedomorphism

Derived terms

• neotenic
• neotenous
• neotenously
• neotenist

Translations

retention of juvenile characteristics in the adult

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 幼態持續 (cmn), 幼态持续 (cmn) (yòutài chíxù)

• Finnish: neotenia (fi), vajaa yksilönkehitys (fi)
• French: néoténie (fr) f
• German: Neotenie (de) f

• Irish: neoitineacht (ga) f
• Italian: neotenia (it) f
• Japanese: ネオテニー (ja) (neotenī)
• Polish: neotenia (pl) f
• Russian: неотения (ru) (neoténija) f 

sexual maturity of an organism still in its larval stage

• French: néoténie (fr) f
• Irish: neoitineacht (ga) f
• Italian: neotenia (it) f

• Polish: neotenia (pl) f
• Russian: неотения (ru) (neoténija) f