phylogenetic

adjective

phy·​lo·​ge·​net·​ic ˌfī-lō-jə-ˈne-tik 

1

: of or relating to phylogeny

2

: based on natural evolutionary relationships

3

: acquired in the course of phylogenetic development : racial

phylogenetically

ˌfī-lō-jə-ˈne-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of phylogenetic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

To put that in perspective, microbes found in Finnish homes covered up to 12.23 percent of the phylogenetic tree, while rural homes in South America saw the figure bump up to 15.59 percent. —Ars Technica, 2 Mar. 2025

The microbes found aboard the ISS encompassed only about 6 percent of the major clades on the bacterial phylogenetic tree. —Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 27 Feb. 2025

Advanced geometric morphometric and phylogenetic analyses suggest that this wishbone may belong to Ornithuromorpha, a clade that later gave rise to the vast diversity of modern birds during the Cretaceous period. —Scott Travers, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025

Through phylogenetic research, the scientists traced the mummies' cheese microorganisms as being most closely related to the Tibetan strain. —New Atlas, 25 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary, from New Latin phylogenesis phylogeny, from phyl- + genesis

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for phylogenetic

• aeromagnetic
• antiemetic
• antipathetic
• apologetic
• biogenetic
• biomimetic
• biosynthetic
• cytogenetic
• diagenetic
• diamagnetic
• diaphoretic
• epigenetic

Medical Definition

phylogenetic

adjective

phy·​lo·​ge·​net·​ic ˌfī-lō-jə-ˈnet-ik 

1

: of or relating to phylogeny

2

: based on natural evolutionary relationships

3

: acquired in the course of phylogenetic development

phylogenetically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb