apostatically
|a-pos-tat-ic-al-ly|
/əpəˈstætɪk/
(apostatic)
relating to abandoning / favoring rare types
Etymology
'apostatic' (and thus 'apostatically') ultimately originates from Greek, specifically the word 'apostatēs', where the prefix 'apo-' meant 'away' and the root 'histānai' (via related forms) meant 'to stand'.
'apostatēs' entered Late Latin as 'apostata' and then Old French/Medieval Latin forms influenced Middle English 'apostate'; the adjective 'apostatic' was later formed in English and produced the adverb 'apostatically'.
Initially, it referred to 'one who stands away' (a defector or apostate); over time it came to describe actions or qualities of renouncing (modern religious/political sense) and also acquired a specialized biological sense relating to selection favoring rare types.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adverb 1
in a manner relating to apostasy; behaving or acting like an apostate (renouncing or abandoning previously held religious or political beliefs).
He spoke apostatically, publicly renouncing the doctrines he once taught.
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Adverb 2
in a manner relating to apostatic selection (biology): describing frequency-dependent processes that favor rare phenotypes or variants.
Predators may select apostatically, giving a survival advantage to rare morphs in the population.
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Last updated: 2025/09/22 00:58