— atavist , n.
/at"euh viz'euhm/ , n.
1. Biol.
a. the reappearance in an individual of characteristics of some remote ancestor that have been absent in intervening generations.
b. an individual embodying such a reversion.
2. reversion to an earlier type; throwback.
[ 1825-35; atav ( us ) remote ancestor ( at-, akin to atta familiar name for a grandfather + avus grandfather, forefather) + -ISM ]