noun
Common
darwin
Darwin (noun) means a unit used in evolutionary biology to measure the rate of change in a trait over time. Example: “The researchers measured beak-size change in darwins per generation.”
noun
1
A unit used in evolutionary biology to measure the rate of change in a trait over time.
"For instance, gradual change is relatively common in vertebrates (about .08 darwins), though some rapidly evolving vertebrates lineages show rates as high as 10 darwins, over short periods."
— Sahotra Sarkar, Anya Plutynski (2010)
"The rate of evolutionary change in a species' wing or leg or beak (remember Darwin's finches mentioned in Chapter 1?) is assessed in degree-of-physical-change units called darwins."
— Donald Mitchell, The 2,000 Percent Solution (2003)
"The researchers measured beak-size change in darwins per generation."
"One darwin (d) equals the rate of evolution that would produce a change in size by a factor of approximately 2.7 in one million years."
— J. William Schopf, Evolution!: Facts and Fallacies (1999)
"Biologists compared evolution rates by converting their data into darwins."
"The study reported a low darwin value for the fossil lineage."
How to use darwin
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA specialised scientific unit for how fast a trait evolves — most people will only meet it as the naturalist's surname, "Darwin," rather than this technical unit.
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Word forms
- Plural
- darwins
Fill the gap
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The researchers measured beak-size change in _____ per generation.
Etymology
Named after Charles Darwin, and coined by the geneticist J.B.S. Haldane in 1949.
Frequently asked questions
What does “darwin” mean?
The word “darwin” means a unit used in evolutionary biology to measure the rate of change in a trait over time. In plain terms, a specialised scientific unit for how fast a trait evolves — most people will only meet it as the naturalist's surname, "Darwin," rather than this technical unit.
How do you use “darwin” in a sentence?
Here is “darwin” used in a sentence: “The researchers measured beak-size change in darwins per generation.”
What part of speech is “darwin”?
“Darwin” is a noun.
Where does the word “darwin” come from?
The word “darwin” dates back to around 1949. Named after Charles Darwin, and coined by the geneticist J.B.S. Haldane in 1949.
Is “darwin” a common word?
“Darwin” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is a darwin used to measure?
A darwin is a unit used in evolutionary biology to measure the rate of change in a trait over time. It allows scientists to compare how quickly different species or populations evolve a particular characteristic.
Who is the darwin unit named after?
The unit's name references its connection to evolutionary biology, the field most associated with Charles Darwin, though the term functions as a scientific measurement rather than a reference to any specific person's work.
Is darwin a commonly used unit outside evolutionary biology?
No, the darwin is a specialized unit confined to evolutionary biology, used specifically to quantify rates of trait change rather than for general scientific or everyday measurement.
