atavic

atavic [uh-tav-ik] ExamplesWord Origin adjective

1. atavistic.

Origin of atavic 1865–70; atav(ism) + -ic, modeled on French atavique Examples from the Web for atavic Historical Examples of atavic

With atavic cunning he sat upon the outside and waited for the triumph of death.

The Man From Brodney’s

George Barr McCutcheon

Word Origin and History for atavic adj.

“pertaining to a remote ancestor,” 1866, from Latin atavus “ancestor” (see atavism) + -ic.