living fossil

Betekenis (Engels)

1. Any species discovered first as a fossil and believed extinct, but which is later found living; an organism that has remained unchanged over geological periods.
2. Any living species which very closely resembles fossil relatives in most anatomical details.

Concepten

levend fossiel

Synoniemen

relict

Vertalingen

fossile vivant

Dauerform

lebendes Fossil

fósil viviente

Uitgesproken als (IPA)

/ˈlɪvɪŋ ˈfɒsl̩/

Etymologie (Engels)

The term was coined by the English biologist, geologist, and naturalist Charles Darwin (1809–1882) in his work On the Origin of Species (1859): see the quotation below.