adjective
- having characteristics that make an organism suited for a particular environment or function before being exposed to it
Usage: biological; evolutionary biology
Examples
- The bird’s wings were preadapted for gliding between trees.
- Some fish species appear preadapted to life in deep ocean trenches.
- The plant’s waxy leaves were preadapted to desert conditions.
- Researchers found that the species was preadapted to urban environments.
- The insect’s mouthparts were preadapted for feeding on nectar.
- These traits left the population preadapted to climate change.