social Darwinism

social Dar·win·i·sm
UK/ˌsəʊʃl̩ ˈdɑːwɪnɪz(ə)m/US/ˌsoʊʃ(ə)l ˈdɑɹwənˌɪzəm/

noun

The theory that the laws of evolution by natural selection also apply to social structures.

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Meanings

nounsocial Darwinism (uncountable)
  1. uncountablesciencesThe theory that the laws of evolution by natural selection also apply to social structures.

    Night City was like a deranged experiment in social Darwinism, designed by a bored researcher who kept one thumb permanently on the fast-forward button.

    1984, William Gibson, Neuromancer (Sprawl; book 1), New York, N.Y.: Ace Books, →ISBN, page 7

Origin

From social (adjective) + Darwinism (noun).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Cantonese 社會達爾文主義 /社会达尔文主义
  • 社會達爾文主義 /社会达尔文主义theory
Chinese Mandarin 社會達爾文主義 /社会达尔文主义
  • 社會達爾文主義 /社会达尔文主义 (shèhuì Dá'ěrwén zhǔyì)theory
Czech sociální darwinismus
  • sociální darwinismustheory
Dutch sociaal darwinisme
  • sociaal darwinismetheory
Finnish sosiaalidarvinismi
  • sosiaalidarvinismitheory
French darwinisme social
  • darwinisme socialtheory
German Sozialdarwinismus
  • Sozialdarwinismustheory
Greek κοινωνικός δαρβινισμός
  • κοινωνικός δαρβινισμός (koinonikós darvinismós)theory
Hebrew דרוויניזם חברתי
  • דרוויניזם חברתי (darwinízm khevratí)theory
Hindi सामाजिक तत्त्वज्ञानी
  • सामाजिक तत्त्वज्ञानी (sāmājik tattvajñānī)theory
Hungarian szociáldarwinizmus
  • szociáldarwinizmustheory
Italian darwinismo sociale
  • darwinismo socialetheory
Korean 사회진화론
  • 사회진화론 (sahoejinhwaron)theory
Polish darwinizm społeczny, socjodarwinizm
  • darwinizm społecznytheory
  • socjodarwinizmtheory
Portuguese darwinismo social
  • darwinismo socialtheory
Russian социа́льный дарвини́зм
  • социа́льный дарвини́зм (sociálʹnyj darvinízm)theory
Spanish darwinismo social
  • darwinismo socialtheory
Swedish socialdarwinism
  • socialdarwinismtheory
Turkish sosyal Darvinizm, sosyal Darvincilik
  • sosyal Darvinizmtheory
  • sosyal Darvinciliktheory

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with social Darwinism

darwinismneo-Darwinism
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

social Darwinism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/social%20Darwinism

MLA

“social Darwinism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/social%20Darwinism. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “social Darwinism,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/social%20Darwinism.

Source: social Darwinism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.