epigenesis
|e-pi-ge-ne-sis|
/ˌɛpɪˈdʒɛnɪsɪs/
development by coming-into-being after
Etymology
'epigenesis' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'epí' + 'génesis', where 'epí' meant 'upon' or 'after' and 'génesis' meant 'origin, birth'.
'epigenesis' comes from Greek ἐπιγένεσις (epigénesis), was adopted into Medieval and New Latin as 'epigenesis', and entered English usage with the same form, carrying biological and philosophical senses.
Initially, it meant 'coming-into-being upon or after' in a general sense; over time it became a technical term in biology for development by formation and later broadened in modern usage to include epigenetic processes and secondary geological alteration.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the biological theory or process by which an organism develops by successive formation of new structures and differentiation from an originally undifferentiated state (opposed to preformation).
Historically, epigenesis was proposed as an alternative to preformation to explain how embryos develop new structures.
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Noun 2
in embryology, the process by which tissues and organs are formed during the growth of an embryo (closely related to organogenesis).
Modern studies of epigenesis examine how cell signals guide the formation of organs in the embryo.
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Noun 3
in modern biological contexts, the term is sometimes used more broadly to refer to processes (including epigenetic mechanisms) that alter gene expression or phenotype without changing the underlying DNA sequence.
Researchers study epigenesis to understand how environmental factors can alter gene activity without changing DNA letters.
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Noun 4
in geology/mineralogy, secondary alteration of minerals or formation of secondary mineral deposits after the original rock or ore has formed.
The ore body underwent epigenesis, producing new minerals along fault zones.
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Last updated: 2025/09/12 06:10