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Noun: neoteny  nee'ó-t(u-)nee
  1. An evolutionary trend to be born earlier so that development is cut off at an earlier stage and juvenile characteristics are retained in adults of the species
     
  2. The state resulting when juvenile characteristics are retained by the adults of a species

Derived forms: neotenies

See also: neotenic

Type of: evolutionary trend, state

Encyclopedia: Neoteny

Nearest

Neoplatonist
Neopolitan
neoprene
neoromanticism
Neosho
Neosho River
Neosporin
neostigmine
neotenic
neotenous
neoteny
neoteric
Neotoma
Neotoma cinerea
Neotoma floridana
Neotoma fuscipes
Nepa
Nepal
Nepal trumpet flower
Nepalese
Nepalese monetary unit