divergent evolution

noun

: the development of dissimilar traits or features (as of body structure or behavior) in closely related populations, species, or lineages of common ancestry that typically occupy dissimilar environments or ecological niches

The finches that Charles Darwin described in the Galapagos Islands are a classic example of divergent evolution. The beaks of different species evolved in response to specific evolutionary forces—different foods available on the various islands.

—Henry Fountain

called also divergence

compare convergent evolution, parallel evolution

Examples of divergent evolution in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The classic example of divergent evolution is what is known as Darwin’s finches. —Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 1 June 2023

For the rest of us, one interesting and sometimes confusing aspect of evolution is the difference between convergent and divergent evolution. —Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 1 June 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined above