Dictionary

gradualism en · NOUN

Etymology

Etymology tree English gradual Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *-mós Ancient Greek -μός (-mós) Ancient Greek -ισμός (-ismós)der. English -ism English gradualism From gradual + -ism.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The belief that evolution proceeds at a steady pace, without the sudden development of new species or biological features from one generation to the next.
2. (countable, qualifier:transferred sense, uncountable) The belief that some phenomenon occurs gradually over a long period of time.
   • Given enough time, the logic goes, water can cleave solid rock and mountains can be reduced to plains. This "gradualism" now underpins modern geologic thought. ... Maybe we'll find evidence that the rock layers are exposed on the flanks of Mount Sharp [on Mars] not because a river carved through them over millions of years, but because the wind blew against them for billions of years – the ultimate in gradualism. 2013 November 27, John Grotzinger, “The world of Mars [print version: International Herald Tribune Magazine, 2013, p. 37]”, in The New York Times:
3. (countable, uncountable) The belief that change ought to be brought about in small, discrete increments rather than in abrupt strokes such as revolutions or uprisings.

Forms

Deriveds

phyletic gradualism

Relateds

punctuationism · saltationism

Translations (1)

mi ātawhanaketanga (The concept of evolution proceeding at a steady and continuous rate.)