Introduction during embryonic development of characters or structure not present in the earlier evolutionary history of the strain or species (as addition of the placenta in mammalian evolution)

The Collaborative International Dictionary Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Recapitulation \Re`ca*pit`u*la"tion\ (r[=e]`k[.a]*p[i^]t"[-u]*l[=a]"sh[u^]n), n. [LL. recapitulatio: cf. F. recapitulation.] The act of recapitulating; a summary, or concise statement or enumeration, of the principal points, facts, or statements, in a preceding ...

WordNet Word definitions in WordNet
n. introduction during embryonic development of characters or structure not present in the earlier evolutionary history of the strain or species (as addition of the placenta in mammalian evolution) [syn: kenogenesis , caenogenesis , cainogenesis , kainogenesis ...

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
n. (alternative spelling of caenogenesis English)