1. relating to or based on the evolutionary development and history of a species or trait
Usage: commonly used in biology and evolutionary science

Examples

• Scientists created a phylogenetic tree to show how different species evolved from a common ancestor.
• The phylogenetic analysis revealed that whales and dolphins share a recent common ancestor with land mammals.
• Researchers used DNA evidence to construct a phylogenetic relationship between the primate species.
• Phylogenetic studies help us understand the evolutionary history of humans and other organisms.
• The phylogenetic distance between two species indicates how long ago they diverged from their common ancestor.