organophyly

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noun

The direct study of the evolution of the forms of biological organs and systems of organs rather than observation of its supposed ontogenic recapitulation.

Opposite
organogeny
OriginGerman Organophylogenie →
Scrabble 23
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Meanings

nounorganophyly (uncountable)
  1. historicalrareuncountabletheory of recapitulationbiologyThe direct study of the evolution of the forms of biological organs and systems of organs rather than observation of its supposed ontogenic recapitulation.

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite
organogeny

Origin

  1. GermanOrganophylogenie
  2. Englishorganophyly

Simplified learned borrowing from German Organophylogenie, itself from organo- + Phylogenie; equivalent to a reduction of organo- + phylogeny to organo- (“biological tissue”) + -phyly (“tribehood”).

More words from German

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

organophyly. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/organophyly

MLA

“organophyly.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/organophyly. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “organophyly,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/organophyly.

Source: organophyly on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.