- (n.) The recurrence of any peculiarity or disease of an ancestor in a subsequent generation, after an intermission for a generation or two.
- (n.) The recurrence or a tendency to a recurrence, of the original type of a species in the progeny of its varieties; resemblance to remote rather than to near ancestors; reversion to the original form.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). atavism. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/atavism/definitions/1976747 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "atavism" http://smartdefine.org/atavism/definitions/1976747 (accessed September 24, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, atavism, Smart Define, viewed 24 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/atavism/definitions/1976747>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "atavism" 27 May 2011. Web. 24 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/atavism/definitions/1976747> |