phylogenetic
/ˌfaɪ.lə.dʒəˈnɛt.ɪk/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Relating to phylogeny, or the evolutionary history and relationships of species, groups, or genes. It is used in biology and scientific writing.
- Scientists compared the phylogenetic trees of the two species.
- The paper uses phylogenetic evidence to trace ancestry.
Adinary Nuance
Phylogenetic is more specific than evolutionary. It focuses on family history and relationships between organisms, not just change over time. Writers choose it when they want a scientific, tree-like view of ancestry.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- phát sinh chủng loại
- Spanish
- filogenético
- Chinese
- 系统发育的
- Japanese
- 系統発生の
- Korean
- 계통발생의
Etymology
From modern scientific English, built from phylogeny, which came from Greek phylon meaning “race” or “tribe” and -genetic. It became common in biology in the 19th century.
Common phrases
phylogenetic treephylogenetic analysisphylogenetic relationshipphylogenetic study
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is phylogenetic the same as evolutionary?
- Not exactly. Evolutionary is broader, while phylogenetic focuses on ancestry and relationships.
- Is phylogenetic a common word?
- It is common in biology and academic writing, but not in everyday speech.
- How do I use phylogenetic in a sentence?
- Use it before a noun: “phylogenetic tree,” “phylogenetic study,” or “phylogenetic analysis.”
- Is phylogenetic used outside biology?
- Usually no. It can appear in computer science or language studies, but biology is the main use.