How to Pronounce "atavistic"
word
ˈætəvɪstɪk
AT-uh-VIS-tik
ˌætɐvˈɪstɪk
at-uh-VIS-tik
Definition
If something is atavistic, it relates to or suggests qualities from a very early time in human history, or it reappears after many generations, as if returning to an ancestral state.
IPA Transcription
American English
ˈætəvɪstɪk
British English
ˌætɐvˈɪstɪk
Simplified Pronunciation
US
AT-uh-VIS-tik
UK
at-uh-VIS-tik
Listen in Context
Some people believe that war is an atavistic part of human nature.
His atavistic tendencies made him act without thinking.
The painting showed atavistic symbols from ancient myths.
His fear of the dark felt strangely atavistic, like something from our distant past.