exaptation
Fetched 2026-10-26 (cache).
Synonyms: exaltation, exoptation, exultation, expiation, adaptation, excitation, captation, exagitation, exaration, excantation, exantlation
Antonyms: exaltation, exoptation, exultation, expiation, adaptation, excitation, captation, exagitation, exaration, excantation, exantlation
Related words from Datamuse; suggestions, not definitions.
Noun
- {{lb|en|biology|evolutionary biology}} The use of a biological structure or function for a purpose other than that for which it initially evolved.
- {{lb|en|linguistics|by extension}} The promotion of meaningless or redundant material so that it does new grammatical (morphosyntactic or phonological) or semantic work.
Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wiktionary dump) · cached copy, not a rewrite.