telegony: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Extremely Rare / ObsoleteHistorical / Scientific (Obsolete)
Quick answer
What does “telegony” mean?
A largely discredited biological theory that a female's offspring can inherit characteristics from a previous mate.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A largely discredited biological theory that a female's offspring can inherit characteristics from a previous mate.
An obsolete genetic concept suggesting that traits of a female's first male mate could influence the characteristics of her offspring by subsequent mates.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage; the term is equally obsolete and specialist in both varieties.
Connotations
Pseudo-scientific, historical curiosity, discredited theory.
Frequency
Virtually never used in contemporary language outside historical academic contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “telegony” in a Sentence
The theory of telegony held that...Telegony, the idea that..., was once believed.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “telegony” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The telegony hypothesis was debated in the 19th century.
American English
- Telegony concepts influenced some early breeding practices.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used only in historical or philosophy of science texts to discuss discredited theories.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
Obsolete term in biology/genetics, mentioned for historical context only.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “telegony”
Strong
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “telegony”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “telegony”
- Using it as a current scientific term.
- Confusing it with 'telekinesis' or 'telegraphy' due to the 'tele-' prefix.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, telegony is a discredited theory with no scientific validity in modern genetics.
Only in historical texts, discussions of the history of biology, or in critiques of pseudo-science.
No, it is exclusively a noun. There is no standard verb form.
To understand a historical scientific concept and to recognise it as an example of a disproven idea, which is useful for academic reading in the history of science.
A largely discredited biological theory that a female's offspring can inherit characteristics from a previous mate.
Telegony is usually historical / scientific (obsolete) in register.
Telegony: in British English it is pronounced /tɪˈlɛɡəni/, and in American English it is pronounced /təˈlɛɡəni/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'tele-' (distant) + '-gony' (generation, birth) → the idea of influence from a 'distant' (previous) sire on a new generation.
Conceptual Metaphor
GENETIC INFLUENCE AS A PERMANENT IMPRINT (the first mate leaves a lasting 'stamp' on the female).
Practice
Quiz
In what context is the word 'telegony' primarily used today?