pseudoadaptation

noun

The apparent adaptation of an organism to a changed environment that is however accompanied by excessive stress that causes later pathological change.

OriginEnglish adaptation ← French adaptation ← Medieval Latin adaptātiō →
Scrabble 22
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Meanings

nounpseudoadaptation (countable and uncountable, plural pseudoadaptations)

plural pseudoadaptations

  1. countableuncountablebiologyThe apparent adaptation of an organism to a changed environment that is however accompanied by excessive stress that causes later pathological change.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekψεύδω (pseúdō)
  2. Ancient Greekψευδής (pseudḗs)
  3. Middle Englishpseudo-
  4. Englishpseudo-
  5. Medieval Latinadaptātiō
  6. Frenchadaptation
  7. Englishadaptation
  8. Englishpseudoadaptation

From pseudo- + adaptation.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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