Meanings
noun
- evolutionary theoryThe principle of biology that states that populations isolated onto islands may undergo evolution towards dwarfism or gigantism to better conform to available resources
Synonyms: Foster's rule
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe principle of biology that states that populations isolated onto islands may undergo evolution towards dwarfism or gigantism to better conform to available resources
Similar
Also see
Origin
From being an empirical rule applied to evolution on islands.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
island rule. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/island%20rule
MLA
“island rule.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/island%20rule. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “island rule,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/island%20rule.
Source: island rule on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.