ˈnēəˌtēnē noun
also ne·o·tei·nia ˌnēəˈtēnēə, -tīn-, -tān-
( plural neotenies also neoteinias )
Etymology: New Latin neotenia, neoteinia, from ne- + -tenia, -teinia (from Greek teinein to stretch) — more at thin
1. : the attainment of sexual maturity during the larval stage (as in the axolotl)
2. : the retention of some larval or immature characters in adulthood (as in complemental reproductives of termites) — compare fetalization