r/K selection theory

noun

A theory regarding the selection of combinations of traits in an organism that represent a trade-off between quantity and quality of offspring.

OriginGerman Kapazitätsgrenze →
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Meanings

nounr/K selection theory (uncountable)
  1. uncountablebiologyA theory regarding the selection of combinations of traits in an organism that represent a trade-off between quantity and quality of offspring.

Origin

  1. GermanKapazitätsgrenze“capacity limit”
  2. Englishr/K selection theory

Coined by the American ecologists Robert H. MacArthur and E. O. Wilson in 1967. The choice of the letter K came from the German Kapazitätsgrenze (“capacity limit”), while r came from rate.

More words from German

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

r/K selection theory. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/r%2FK%20selection%20theory

MLA

“r/K selection theory.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/r%2FK%20selection%20theory. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “r/K selection theory,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/r%2FK%20selection%20theory.

Source: r/K selection theory on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.