vicariance
vicariance noun: the separation of a group of organisms by a geographic barrier, resulting in differentiation of the original group into new varieties or species.
Noun
vicariance (countable and uncountable, plural vicariances)
- The separation of a group of organisms by a geographic barrier, resulting in differentiation of the original group into new varieties or species.
- Such an old origin for parts of Sulawesi would explain its unique biota and high species richness; species would have rafted along on these fragments from worlds since long lost (a process known as vicariance).2018 May 17, Hanneke Meijer, The Guardian
- The geological event which produces such a barrier (volcano, earthquake, etc)
- The act of experiencing an event by proxy through an empathic link with the person who is experiencing the event firsthand.
Forms of vicariance
| plural | vicariances |
|---|
Origin of vicariance
From vicariant + -ance.
Words formed from vicariance
Questions about vicariance
- What does vicariance mean?
- Vicariance means the separation of a group of organisms by a geographic barrier, resulting in differentiation of the original group into new varieties or species.
- What part of speech is vicariance?
- Vicariance is a noun.
- What is the plural of vicariance?
- The plural of vicariance is vicariances.
Words near vicariance in the dictionary
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: vicariance (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
Last updated:
Cite this entry: “vicariance.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/vicariance. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.